Birchbox Unboxing July 2016

  Hello World, Let's Do This!   

Birchbox is getting really good at sending products that match customer's profiles. This month, my box took a little longer than usual (or so it seemed); everyone else got their box earlier in the month. This didn't phase me, however, because after all, I did order add-ons with my Birchbox this month, and got a bigger order. Maybe it took time to get my shipment ready.  I also noticed the unboxings on YouTube: Most of the items being "unboxed" were things I was already sent. This worried me a little bit, because that was the last thing I wanted was a box full of reruns...but Birchbox knows me! My items were nothing like anyone else's,  yet they still reflected this month's theme: Hello World, Let's Do This! ...and for that I was grateful!

    My add-ons were two items this month:

Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream - This completes my skin care regimen that I have had for a few years now: The Ultra Facial Collection Cleanser, Toner and Cream.  Kiehls keeps my skin clean and hydrated, and I love how my wrinkles seem to forget to show up on my face after I have applied the Facial Cream. I am also very happy that Birchbox has now included these wonderful products in their list of skin care products. Now, I can buy and earn points for more items at Birchbox buying things I would already purchase!

Sunnylife Retrosounds Radio - Being a kid of the '70's I love bright, retro-colored stuff, so when I saw this cute speaker/radio, I grabbed it up to put away for a Christmas gift for a well-deserving loved one. You hook it up to your phone, tablet or mp3 device to provide nice, loud sound at picnics, sleepovers, or trips to the beach...anywhere you want to share music with others. I am hoping that this makes it under the tree this year!!

My favorite item in the box this month has to be my Smashbox X-Rated mascara. I love the way it extends my eyelashes with no clumping, and the sample is ample...not quite full-sized, but more than enough while I'm waiting for my order!

Visit and subscribe to my channel and like my video. Check out more episodes on TheAlvinvision for talks on tea, beauty and more Birchbox Unboxings!

Piper and Leaf Tea Haul REVIEW of Local Artisan Crafted Brews

What you may not know about craft teas... these new brews are not grandma's variety!

 The art of craft teas, in which tea enthusiasts create and design their own teas with mixtures of herbs, tea leaves, spices, fruit and nuts, is becoming a hot trend among tea enthusiasts. Many companies that are artisan in nature are springing up that offer craft teas in a variety of flavors that you can order online, or apply to a monthly subscription to sample their inventory. In the July/August issue of Tea Time Magazine I stumbled upon an article about Piper & Leaf, a family-owned tea company that specializes in loose leaf craft teas and flavored iced tea. The most interesting thing about Piper and Leaf is that most of the ingredients are locally grown and harvested by hand. 

I visited the website and ordered three teas:

 My favorite immediately became Piper Mint Blues, a blend of peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, ginger, blueberries, blackberries, and butterfly pea flower. Upon brewing the tea becomes a fragrant, blue concoction of refreshing mint tea with berry flavor. It is beautiful to look at and satisfies taste. 

Old Fashioned Birthday Cake - a blend of ceylon, bergamot, vanilla, cornflowers and lavender. A deliciously fragrant breakfast tea that is great with steamed milk. 

The paradoxical Monk's Meditation - Ceylon Estate Black Tea, catnip, vanilla, grenadine, and pomegranate make this tea an interesting mix!

Watch my video to learn more about my tea haul, and be sure to like and subscribe to TheAlvinvision to receive updates on new episodes!

10 Tips to Slay a Selfie as a Woman Over 50 Using Your Phone

Learn beauty tips to rock a selfie and be fine as wine at 50 and over, and turn heads everywhere you go, simply using your iPhone. Grown and sexy divas love Instagram, too! 

     Last year, my 50th birthday came and went, but it left some noticeable signs that I was no longer in Michael Jackson's PYT Club:

• The battle of the grey became a losing one. 

• “Dropping it like it’s hot” ended up as dropping dead as soon as I fell into horizontal position…or just dropping and needing a hand to get back up. 

• My knees, ankles and wrists began to tell me when to go and stop, and not the other way around.

• A giant doughnut appeared around my waist. 

• The term, “I woke up like this...” turned into “Damn! I woke up like this??!!”

• Once I woke up and finally made it to the mirror, an old lady was staring back at me. 

Lort. Just breathe...

The biggest thing we think about, though, is if we are still pretty in pictures. Can our selfies look as good as these young glamouristas that we see on Facebook and Instagram? 

I say yes! Because no matter what, we will always be the BIG GIRLS and they'll always be the little girls. We're older, wiser, and we have experience…we know our stuff, ladies! So, here are some easy steps to make your next selfie the one that gets all of the likes!

1. Be healthy...take care of your body - That is always going to be the #1 rule. If you do not take care of your body, it will age faster. At our age, we are dealing with a variety of health changes that come with growing older,  so we must eat right and make the necessary visits to keep us strong and healthy. Photos do not lie…even the best photographer has to work hard to make an unhealthy person look good.

2. Believe and know you are beautiful, inside and out – you are still a vibrant, sensual creature who can be as attractive as you have ever been, if not more. Wake up with confidence, and walk with that in mind throughout your day. Models always look like they are on the runway, no matter what they're wearing. You can, too, and your confidence will translate into your photos! 

3. Be diligent with your skin and hair – you cannot slay if your skin is cracked and wrinkly. Switch to an anti-aging face wash, toner and moisturizer to clean your skin, and find a serum that works for your face that will plump skin cells to fade fine lines. Use an eye cream daily to fight crow’s feet, and be gentle around the eyes. And remember to drink water and take your vitamins! Have you seen a flower with no water? Yeah…kinda looks…old and dried out, doesn't it? 

4. Know how to use makeup as a mature woman – there are things we should do…and things we definitely should not do…when applying makeup. For a how-to on applying makeup to make your face glow with youthful freshness, watch my "Get Ready With Me" episode on TheAlvinvision for quick, easy tips. 

5. Sparkle and shine – since we tend to be a little on the dull side due to hormonal shifts, it is important to turn on the brilliance! Adorn your ears with sparkly, dangling earrings to balance out your face, have your brows arched regularly, as well as your teeth whitened. If you wear glasses, be sure to have the anti reflective coating applied, and avoid dark, heavy frames. They just make you look old and matronly. You're trying to be sexy in a photo! 

6. Wear neutral, soft colors, and go easy on the print – when you're shooting, you want the attention to be on your face, not your blouse with the big, yellow flowers on it! Since most of us are amateur photographers, pay attention to the undertones in your skin to find colors that enhance your complexion, and that do not compete with the lighting.

7. Obey the light – light is your friend, but you must respect it! The best lighting for a selfie is always natural light. Take your selfie facing the light to avoid unflattering shadows. Stand by an open window at the best time of the day. If the light is too strong, filter it with a thin, white sheet or sheer curtains. This tip alone will make a big difference! 

8. Stop taking selfies in the bathroom mirror - you're not twelve. Nuf said.

9. Watch your angles -  this is one of the reasons many of us don't like taking pictures anymore, because we are hating that double chin! Point and lift your nose toward the camera, and hold the phone/camera above you at an angle. Play with different angles and snap until you find what suits you.

                

            

         

These were all taken with a cell phone. Be sure to get your arm that holds the phone out of the way of the shot.

            

10. And finally…SMILE! ?..or not. Never do what you're not liking. And practice using your face in different ways in different poses so that you know what works for you. 

The more photos you take, the better you get, so practice makes pretty! 

Do you like taking selfies? Leave your feedback in the comments below!