covergirl clean matte bb cream // seventeen social club

Summer is finally here, and along with cute sunglasses, swimsuits and sunscreen, unfortunately for me also comes oily skin! I've always had very oily skin, so applying sunscreens in the summer and keeping those pesky breakouts away can be a challenge for me! Luckily, Seventeen sent Covergirl's latest genius product my way -- the Clean Matter bb cream for oily skin. I have to say that I am absolutely loving what this stuff has done for my complexion so far! Instead of other bb creams that can clog your pores, Covergirl's newest matte addition to their collection doesn't invade your pores -- it actually keeps your skin shine-free all day long. It's oil free and lasts all day, even through the summer heat!

I'll definitely be sticking this bb cream in my beach bag, it's my new summer must-have when it comes to hiding existing blemishes or just evening out my skin tone. I have fairer skin but I opted for the medium shade because I like to add a little color to my complexion in the summer months, and it gave me that perfect sunkissed-color that I've been looking for. Apply a little bit of spf on top and you're good to go.

I love this bb cream so much that I've been applying it on the daily. In case you're wondering what it looks like on, here's a no-filter photo of my wearing the bb cream -- look how natural and glowy it makes your skin! So matte & pretty, and with great color. I even have sensitive skin and this stuff is doing wonders. I'm in love!

Until next time - xoxo, xtina

SK-II voxbox // review

Let me start off this post by saying if you haven't heard of Influenster yet, it's time that you learn about it! Influenster is this ahhh-mazing website that sends you boxes of products to review based on your interests and how active you are with your social media platforms. If you can show them that you have a decent following on your social media platforms and that you're relatively active on them, then they will send you products tailored to you, completely complimentary!

For my first voxbox I received a few items such as a candy bar, an NYC lip stain, tea, and some makeup remover wipes. Now, that was a pretty nice box for being complimentary -- but this time, however, the box I received was full of SK-II skincare! This high-end Japanese skincare line is absolutely amazing and I was so beyond thrilled to receive some of their products for testing purposes!

SK-II facial treatment essence water & facial treatment mask // the main ingredient that makes this essence water and mask so special is "pitera", an ingredient that I had never heard of before receiving this brand. apparently, pitera is known as "the holy grail" in the East for its skin-renewing abilities. my only complaint about both of these products are some of the other ingredients they contain. if I'm paying 99$ for a bottle of facial essence, I don't want there to be other bad ingredients in there such as parabens! I would encourage SK-II to make this product without those ingredients, because then I really would consider both of these products to be holy grail-level items. either way, I still really enjoyed using both SK-II products! I've only been using them both for about a week now but I'm looking forward to seeing how they make my skin feel and look over the course of the next few weeks. so far, they've both made my skin feel really nice and refreshed. if you're looking for a new skincare brand to try out, consider checking out these items from SK-II.

seventeen social club // spring break box

Recently, I received a very exciting invitation --- I was chosen by Seventeen Magazine to receive boxes of the latest trends to try out! As a member of the Seventeen Social Club, I work alongside the folks over at Seventeen Magazine to bring you reviews of cool products. For my first Seventeen Social Club post, I recently received the spring break box in the mail. Inside the box were two books -- just in time for spring break and some much-needed R&R on a beach somewhere! The books included were:

KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Madalvsky// This one looks like it will be a deliciously dark-humored read, which is right up my alley. Madalvsky's novel is about four superfan friends and their obsession with their favorite boyband. I'll be picking up this one to read first, as it seems like it will be a good dark laugh.

TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han // This novel seems to be a bit on the softer side than Madalvsky's, and tells a love tale through a series of love letters. I'll be reading this one for when I'm in the mood for a good sweet romance novel (which, surprisingly, is often the type of book that I pick up!).

I have to admit, I love to read but I don't get to do it as often as I'd like to, especially lately. This is one of the reasons that I was very happy to have received these books in my mailbox! I look forward to delving deeper into them both, and as a none-too-subtle boyband fan myself, Kill the Boy Band in particular looks like it will be right up my alley. Have you read either of these titles? Check 'em out if you've got some time during your spring break, and let me know what you think of both!

xoxo, xtina