At my core, I'm a makeup girl. I feel comfortable sitting down to play, pairing unsuspecting products together to create new looks. But something I've always admired in others is the ability to do the same with fashion. As a result, I've been trying to broaden my horizons into clothing (check the Fashion Rewind) and jewelry. Enter Rocksbox.
I was introduced to RocksBox via iFabbo - an international blogging community - and thought I would give it a go given my recent fashion endeavors. Rocksbox is a monthly subscription service that uses your taste profile to send three pieces of designer jewelry to your doorstep for you to keep for up to 60 days. If you like what you receive, you can keep it for a reduced membership price. If not, you can send them back with prepaid postage and receive three new pieces the following month. Every month you can give feedback on each piece of jewelry so that you get items that are more suited to your style the following month.
While I know roughly the kind of jewelry I would pick out of a lineup if given a chance, I'm always open to being surprised and discovering new pieces that might complement my style better, so I enjoyed not quite knowing what I was going to get. First up: Robyn Rhodes Rocco Necklace in Blue and Silver ($94). This trio of medium size gems lays nicely just below my clavicle, but rarely stays with the gems facing forward. Next is theLoren Hope Clara Bracelet ($65) - a mix between a rustic wire bracelet and a tennis bracelet. I love the way this looks and lays, but I'm still not sure it's my style (but I'm still playing with it! Last are theIsharya Mirror Gems Small Splash Earring ($98). These are my favorite of the bunch. I love a good statement earring and even though these might be too glitzy for some to wear in a daytime look, I adore them. While I don't have any shots of these pieces in action for the post, you can follow my Instagram to see them incorporated into outfits of the day in the future.
For $19.99 a month, I think this is a fabulous service for someone who loves to experiment with their jewelry style. You can play with good quality jewelry without committing to something you aren't sure about. Rockbox also has a referral program that allows you to earn $25 worth of purchase credit when someone uses your link to sign up. Additionally, you get a $5 credit for posting a pic on twitter or Instagram when you use #RocksBox in the caption. Bonus: you can currently use the code FABB to receive 50% off a three month subscription.
What's your take on a monthly jewelry subscription?
Skylark Wild & Free Mini Nail Lacquer Set by Elle & Blair
Skylark Wild & Free Mini Nail Lacquer Set by Elle & Blair
Ever since they came out with the their first palette, I've been dying to try products from the Skylark Collection by Elle & Blair. Blush.com's Mystery Beauty Box featured it as the prime product in their May box, so I decided it was time to try! The Skylark Mini Nail Lacquer Set comes with 4 polishes "inspired buy the hottest trends of 2013." Together this set looks overwhelmingly springy with pale pastels paired with hot hues, but what it ultimately comes down to is how the polishes perform! Let's discuss.
Dream Catcher is a light lavender, Sea Glass is a pale turquoise, B-Days in Cabo is a hot bubblegum pink, and Jelly Shot is a hot coral. The texture of the polishes are on the thicker side and dry relatively quickly which, while great for a quick mani, can mean streaks if you don't work fast enough. The good news is that they are all opaque with two coats, but they are a little unforgiving on nail ridges so make sure you buff them out before applying. Also, given that these dry down to a satin finish, you have to apply a top coat to make them glossy. I'm sure many already do this, but any mani minimalists will want to take note. The brush is on the long and skinny side - something to keep in mind if you have a preference. I got about two days of chip-free wear from these polishes which might sounds short to some, but it's the standard for my nails.
I think I will get quite a bit of wear out of these for the summer given how on trend they are, but I'm not sure I would pay $29 for them ($7.25 a bottle). At .3 oz a bottle, they are only .05 oz less than the likes of JulieG but cost $4.25 more - just as a means of comparison. Still, if you can snag them in the Blush.com Mystery Beauty Box, the entire collection costs $24.95 for the subscription plus you get a few other full sized goodies to go along with them. In that case, I think it's worth it!
LORAC Cosmetics is going to be on Hautelook tomorrow! I don't have any of the items pictured (and most likely available in the sale tomorrow), but I have tried quite a few shadow palettes form LORAC - namely the GLOgetter Palette and PRO Palette - and can attest to the great shadow quality. I would expect any shadows in the sale tomorrow to be on par. The only other products I've tried from the brand are the Lips With Benefits Glosses in the shades Chris and Nick which are a little steep at $18 a piece, but would be more reasonable purchases should they appear in the sale tomorrow.
Blush.com's Mystery Beauty Box is $24.95 for a recurring monthly subscription and $34.95 to purchase to try it once. You are guaranteed $100 worth of expertly curated products in each box along with free shipping and a gift with every purchase.
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