Ipsy - October 2015

          I haven't been excited about my last few Ipsy bags but this month I was really looking forward to my bag. I also redeemed for a points item that I can not wait to try out. 

Acure Brightening Facial Scrub

          I used some of my points to get this little guy and I am pretty excited about it. I love any kind of scrub and while I haven't tried it out yet it seems like it is pretty abrasive and that is perfect for me. The scrubby bits are very natural feeling, like apricot seeds. 

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Full size: $24 Sample Value: $1.60

           Every Ipster received this sample or a Meet Matt(e) Huges lip product in their bag. I always want to try new lip products but am happy I received the Mary-Lou Manizer as it is just one of the beauty products you always hear about. My highlighter game is weak but I love this, it is just a beautiful pale gold shimmer that also makes a beautiful eyeshadow. Swatched below. 

Tarte LipSurgence Skintuitive Lip Gloss in Energy  Full Size: $23 Sample Value: $4.33

          I am always excited to see a Tarte product in any subscription box, especially a lip product. This is one of those lip glosses that is supposed to react with your skins PH to make the perfect colour or some such witchcraft. Additionally this gloss is supposed to hydrate and fill in fine lines. I am sure to use this but I am not loosing my mind over it. I have a hard time finding light pink lip colours but this one does look nice. Swatched below. 

Nourish Organic Argan Face Serum  Full Size: $23.99  Sample Value: $17.74

          Another thing I love to see are skin care items. I have tried a few items from this brand and enjoyed each of them. Normally Ipsy sends me skin care items that are pretty well suited for my oily skin but this sample is for normal to dry skin. I will still be giving it a try but it is something I'll only wear at night or on days I am just sticking close to home. I tried it out quickly on the back or my hand and it does seem exceptionally moisturizing. 

Ayres Hand Cream in Pampas Sunrise Full Size: $12.50 Sample Value: $6.25

         Yet again a brand I love! I had gotten another lotion quite a few bags ago and have been rationing it out so it lasts as long as possible. This absorbs so fast, no greasiness even for a second. The scent is described as: "Lemongrass, mandarin, bergamot, patchouli and spearmint will awaken your senses, while an exotic background of cedar wood releases a musky scent." Well. There is an awful lot going on in there.  The scent is an Ipsy exclusive and I don't dislike the scent but it isn't something I would choose for myself.

Coastal Scents Xpress Line in 01 Black $2.95

          I am always looking to try out new black eyeliners. This one is awful. It smudges like it is its job (see below) and pulls when you apply it. I will probably just toss this. 

Total Value: $32.88

         Not a huge value but I am happy to play with all these items and love all of the brands in my bag. 

Thanks for reading 

A. 

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Top 5 - August 2015

          I actually really looked forward to this post, last month I struggled to pick five products but this month was a totally different story. Most of these were actually all together on my desk already. I have two items from Ipsy, two new Clinique items and one rediscovery of an old favorite.

 Tarte Bronzer in Park Ave Princess

          This is an ipsy sample and I use this almost everyday. I am painfully pale, sickly even so bronzer is not something I really use as they are all far too dark for me. This one is a game changer, with a light hand I can actually do some contouring. I do not do a lot of contouring as I am not very good to be honest but I love using it to define the hollows of my cheeks and it makes me look a couple steps back from deaths door. At the bottom of this post I have a photo of the product open.

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizer

           Another ipsy win. I use this every single day no matter what I am doing with my hair, I just spray it on my roots. When it is not too hot to use a blow dryer I get amazing volume from this spray and if I decide to air dry my hair/ am too lazy to go beyond brushing it there is something in it that makes my hair look less greasy and stringy. I am almost out and I will be buying this, I am pretty sure I can not live without it. I am excited to use it in the winter when I will actually be blow drying and styling my hair.

Clinique Acne Solutions All Over Acne Clearing Treatment

           I do not know what is going on with my skin lately, I have never had an issue with acne but it has been bad enough that I started using the whole Acne Solutions line from Clinique and it has made such a difference. For more information check out my full review here.

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

          Since I have oily skin I am very guilty of skipping moisturizer, especially in my morning routine. Terrible, I know. I was struggling with a couple dry patches and the creams I had on hand we not doing anything to help. I went looking for an intense moisture mask when I found this. I used it once overnight and once as a quick half hour treatment and the dry spots no other moisturizer could help were gone.I use this overnight and even after washing my face the next day my face feels moisturized without being greasy. With this overnight mask I can use a very light moisturizer under my make up and it is perfect, not dry, not going to make my makeup slide right off. It is quite an intense mask so I alternate between this and my Julep overnight cream.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette 

          I got this palette for Christmas (shout out to my awesome Mommy) I had gotten away from it over the summer and recently pulled it out again. This is perfect for everyday looks and has a couple darker shades for something a little more smokey. I do not find the shadows are crazy pigmented but for everyday I prefer something buildable so I do not over do it. I would purchase another Naked palette but not the three again, I love it but I could do without the pinky shades. I also love how sturdy the packaging is, it can survive in a suitcase or overnight bag no problem.



Check out last months favorites

Thanks for reading!

A. 

@dirty_cupcake

Ipsy - July 2015

          When I first saw my Glam Room I was not excited for my bag, there were a couple things I would get some use out of but nothing had me stalking the mail man. Luckily so since it shipped later than usual again. I'm not sure why it has been shipping so late the last few months, maybe when you redeem for points items it takes longer to process. Once I tried a couple items I completely changed my mind, I love the eyeshadow and bronzer. Let's get into it:

Shea Moisture Lip Crayon in Sarah $9.99 Full Sized Product

          This is an item I redeemed my points for, I am always looking for more lip products. This one is not my favourite and at first I was quite disappointed by it but I noticed that once it wore off it left a really nice stain that looked great under a pink gloss. I do not like it by itself mostly because I'm not a fan of the iridescent quality. Swatched below. 

Crown Brush Professional Tweezers $10.50 or $6.99 on sale Full Sized Product 

          I would not replace my current tweezers with this as I prefer to have ones that are a little bit longer but these are excellent. I do not have any in my purse makeup bag so these are going right in there. 

Jor'el Parker Eau to Parfume in Classico $21 Full Sized Product 

          I love receiving perfumes even though I am rarely able to wear them. The description says "Indulge in the spicy seduction of Indian Tuberose, the striking and sweet sensation of Turkish Cyclamen and the purifying calm of Spanish Mandarin." Now, I do not know what most of those things are but it sounds very exotic and smells so as well. It has a very energizing or awakening scent. 

Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner $10 Full Sized Product 

          This is a 100% natural and USDA certified Organic with UV protection as well as being cruelty free. It is a lip balm, not exciting but always useful. I would not pay $10 for it but I will use it for sure.

Nicka K New York Eye Shadow Quad in NY075 Sierra $4.99 Full a Sized Product

          I was surprised this quad was so inexpensive, I love these shadows. This product completely changed my opinion of this month's bag. They are so soft, pigmented and blend together perfectly. The colours are perfect for brown eyes and I am glad I did not get the other option which I think would be best for green eyes. With these four colours you can create a nice, everyday neutral look or a more dramatic smokey eye. If I was to go on a trip I would just grab this little quad and leave my other palettes at home. See swatches below. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave. Princess $10.31 Sample Value $20.31 Full Size

          I am not skilled in the art of contouring or much of a bronzer user. I already have a hard time finding foundation that is pale enough so added bronzer just makes me look dirty or like I can't shade match. This one is perfect for pale girls like me, with a light hand it added some warmth to my face without being too dark to work with my skin tone. Easily blendable, smooth application and hours of budge proof wear make this a beautiful product and also turned my opinion of the bag. 

Swatches for Shea Moisture Lip Crayon, Nicka K New York Eye Shadow, and Tarte Bronzer along the top.

          While still not my favourite bag I ended up liking it more than I originally thought I would. The bag itself is super cute and certainly one of my favourites. Overall I ended up liking this bag and the value is pretty decent. 

Total value of bag: $56.80

Thanks for reading!

A. 

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June Ipsy Review 

Project Ten Pan Summer 2015

          I am jumping on the Project Pan band wagon. I have so much makeup that I am using regularly and I really need to use up some of my collection because it is getting seriously out of control. I have selected 16 items which seems a little ambitious for my first attempt now that I am actually typing it out  but I have already taken all the photos so it is happening. If I use up 10 products I am calling it a success. I may or may not replace products as I use them up and if I do I will do so with a like product (lotion with lotion, eyeliner with another eyeliner). I have given myself a loose deadline of two months and if I feel like I need a third I will just keep it going. Not a whole lot more of rules going on here. I will post an update after one month and either a finale or another update after the second month. 

         Now is the point where you go get a beverage, feed the cat and settle in because this in going to be a long one. 

          I tried to pick a mix of products so that they wouldn't take away from each other. Some of these are kind of gimme items and I do feel like I can use quite a few of these up. The note cards are a little crooked in the photos but I marked each product using the bottom of the card to the top of product in the container. I will use the same cards to mark progress in each update. Let's start with hair products, here we go: 

Ecru Acacia Protein BB Cream 

          I got this in an Ipsy bag quite some time ago, it is one of those leave in products that you put on damp hair before you start to style.  It is a decent product but I do not find it does anything amazing for me but I would use it again if I got it in another subscription. There isn't much left to use up but a little goes a long way. I do feel this will be rather easy to use up. 

Marc Anthony Repairing Macadamia Oil Shampoo 

          I bought this when Target was closing because it was severely marked down. It is a good shampoo but I find since it is so moisturizing that using it with a heavy conditioner will make my hair look greasy. While I might use it again I won't be seeking it out, the smell is amazing though. I believe this is another product I won't have a problem using up, it's just a matter of focusing on it. 

Phytorelax Laboratories Argan Oil Treatment 

          I have had this for years and really want to get it used up. I resisted hair oils for a long time but I picked this up at Winners because that's the way I like to try new things. Winners always has great products that I would not necessarily pay full price for but at a much more reasonable price. I like this product and have used it daily in the past and it gives shine and moisture without making my hair greasy. I have put this in my shower so right before I wrap my hair up in a towel I can put it on the ends of my hair. This is a product that I am concerned about using up because I only use two maybe three pumps at a time.

Body

Julep Rock Star Handcream 

          This is a Julep purchase, for a while I was obsessed with this cream. It is just so moisturizing and with the Glycolic Scrub it just makes your hands so smooth and soft. The smell is very strong and to some kind of old ladyish.  There is not a lot left so I do not think it will take long to use up, I won't be able to put it on at work because of the scent but I will put it on my desk at home. 

True Blue Spa Nourishing Yogurt Shower Smoothie in Pineapple Papaya

           Last summer I bought this in a couple different scents at Bath and Body Works and both really smell like a yogurt smoothie you would drink. It is a very thick formula with little scrubby bits, appricote seeds maybe? I think this one will be gone fairly quickly and I have so many others to use after this is gone. 

MacBeth Collection Hand Cream in Peony Pomegranate Blush 

           This is something I just want to use up to get my money's worth out of. It came in a set from Shoppers and it love the smell but can not stand the texture. It goes fine on my legs but on my arms or anywhere else it just feels sticky for a good minute before it absorbs. I will be throwing it out at the end of this product whether I have used it up or not. 

Face 

Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil

           Another Julep product I was obsessed with. I got one in my Maven box some time ago and used it religiously. It's perfect for removing makeup before you cleanse as it just melts even the most determined goop off your face but is still very gentle. The second bottle has been sitting in various places in my bathroom for probably a year now, time to go. It shouldn't be too hard to use up and it will get me to remove my makeup after work. 

Clean and Clear Blackhead Eraser Cleansing Mask

            Another product I have had for far too long that I want to use up. I don't notice if this really helps blackheads exactly but it does feel like my pores are deep cleaned at least. I get some little bumps on my chin and they come with dry skin, I find this gets rid of that issue immediately. It's a quick mask that at the very least gives you a deep clean. If I don't use this up it will be close to done by the end of this project. 

Dr.  Brandt Pores No More Anti-aging Mattiying Lotion

             Another gimme item, this is a little sample I got from Ipsy. I love getting Dr. Brandt samples since they are always good products and there is no way I will pay the full price for them. Mattiying products are always interesting to me for my oily skin, this one isn't the best thing ever but it makes a little bit of a difference. I will just wear this under my makeup until it is used up. 

Bio Idoine Night Facial Cream

           I tried a Little Life Box a few months ago and loved it, this was one of the products that came in it. I usually fall asleep before I can put in night cream but I do find this makes my skin fill hydrated and firm the next morning without feeling goopy and gross. If I remember to use it I should be able to use this up fairly quickly. 

Make Up 

NYX Love in Rio Eye Shadow Trio

            I have so many eyeshadows from subscription services, this one from Ipsy. My only real goal for this is to hit pan on the center shade, it is a very shimmery taupe colour and I usually use it all over my lid and up to my brow bone. Even if I hit pan on the centre pan I will keep using it until the end of the project. I am not sure if I will keep it after this wraps up or not, it seems a waste to just throw it out.

Julep Blank Canvas Mattifying Primer 

          This is the very first primer I ever tried and I repurchased it a few times, it works pretty well but I feel like there is something better out there. An excellent product but I just want to try new things. 

Tarts Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage Foundation in Ivory 

           This as my first real high end make up purchase a couple years ago and it was my holy grail foundation. It is really thick and lasted all day without budging in the summer no matter how hot it was. Just the past winter I had dryer skin and it wasn't as amazing. I was exited for summer so I could enjoy this again but it's just not the same and I'm heartbroken. I want to use this up and eventually the back up I had already bought before I realized things were never going to be the same. 

Lord and Berry Eyeliner #1001 Black

            I am not a hug fan of this eyeliner, it's nice I guess but it's so soft that it doesn't really stay in place. It is alright for my waterline but not great. I just want to use it until it all fits in the lid, once this project is done I am tossing this. It isn't a bad product I just have other eyeliners I prefer. 

Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer

           I have had this little sample for a while and I really thought it was almost gone until I pulled up the stopper and scraped it all down. I am no longer confident I will be able to use this up but we will see. I find it does make my lipstick go on smoother, I'm not sure about making it last longer though. 

Julep Lip Gloss in Glowing 

             I so desperately need to work through some of my lip products. I picked this because I have had it for a while and being such a sheer colour I can wear it with any number of outfits or makeup looks. I'm a little concerned I won't get through it but I am sure I will make a dent. 

           I am excited to start my very first Project Pan, I want to use up some items and clear out some of the clutter in my makeup collection. It is just so satisfying to use up these things. Hopefully I don't get too bored with what I have picked. In one month I will post about my progress and challenges. I am most concerned about the lip primer and gloss, the sticky lotion and hair oil I'm not sure if those will end up in the empties but a lot of these products should be done and gone by the time I end this project. 

Thanks for reading!

A.

@dirty_cupcake

December 2014 Ipsy - Thinking of You

          Originally I wasn't going to look at my Glam Room at all, wait until my cousin Em got here with her bag so we could do an unbagging video but she didn't get hers in time. A video may come along of her unbagging. I ended up looking the same day it got delivered. 

  

          I am happy with my bag this month, a variety of products and all things I have put it into my regular routine. 

         

        Beauty Without Cruelty Premium Aromatherapy Facial Cleanser 

          At first I was not overly excited to get a cleanser but figured it was a useful item, who can't use a travel-sized face wash? I have not used another cleanser since I tried this one. My regular cleanser is the Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Facewash and it is very effective but a little drying for winter skin. BWC has a great, clean scent that almost smells like creamsicles somehow. The gel texture foams up and rinses clean. I will be looking into purchasing this in the future to alternate with my stronger cleanser. 

     

          Cailyn Just Mineral Eye Polish 

          Just look at that sparkle! I don't normally like loose powder eyeshadow but this is beautiful. It isn't so sparkley that I look like I'm about to go on stage and it stays on quite well with very little creasing. It looks great with the Be A Bombshell makeup base we got in a previous bag. This product also has many other uses depending in what base you get with it. You can use it as lip gloss, nail polish and other makeup items when combining it with the other products Cailyn you have. Check it out at Cailyn.com   

                                              NYX Butter Lip Balm in Marshmallow 

          This is a great product, a moisturizing balm with a hint of color. I was pleased with the color I received originally but it didn't have enough coverage for how red my lips are. Mrs. G received the Parfait color, a Barbie pink color and it works a lot better for me so we traded. 

           

       Sexy hair 450 Blow Out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray 

          This. Is. Amazing. I have tried a million different heat sprays and protectors and they always weight my hair down, make it look greasy, or just do not work. This smells nice, makes my hair shiny, smooth, less frizzy, and it doesn't feel like I have a bunch of gunk in my hair. I will be buying this. 

Tarte Lights Camera Action Mascara 

          I was really excited to receive this product and I was not disappointed. It gives my lashes tones of length but it could provide more volume. As far as I am concerned you can not have enough sample marcaras. 

                        I am very happy with my December bag, I'm using everything. 

  Thanks for reading! Comment, share and spread the word. 

A.

Favorites #1

          Here are some of the products I am loving right now. There are quite a few so I will try not to ramble on too much.

First up is the Tea Tree Face Mask from The Body Shop

I actually bought this by accident. I had little sample packets of this and it burned my face bad enough I had to take it off immediately and I gave away the rest of the samples I had. Since I am equal parts cheap and lazy I decided to try it again rather than give it away or return it. I am so glad I gave it another shot. I stopped taking care of my skin as well as I should (ie leaving my make up on at night, I know, I know.) This is what is saving me right now. It is great for blemished skin and really feels like all the junk is just pulled out of your skin. It is a little drying and I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with sensitive skin but I also have the face wash, gel (I use it as a spot treatment) and pore minimizer and the line is really working for me. I will repurchase everything but the pore minimizer. Its alright but I am not blown away.


Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream

Jennifer Aniston is not lying to us in those commercials. This is the shit. I have actually noticed so many improvements in my skin because of this. It evens out skin tone, fades dark spots, softens, all the things the box says it does are for real. Just go to target and buy it. I used to have the normal daily moisturizer and it also does exactly what it advertises. I was hesitant to purchase the night cream at first because it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 bucks but beyond worth it. I have been using it for months and it is just starting to look like its been used, a little goes a long way. Since it is such a heavy cream it does feel kind of oily in the morning but once you wash your face it just feels lovely.


Aveeno Active Naturals Skin Relief Body Wash

Again with the Aveeno, its just a great brand. This I bought on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for, I want to say like 8 bucks. I wanted something to stop itchy cold weather skin and it worked immediately. It is fragrance free which I don't love, I will look for a scented version when I repurchase.

E.L.F Lip Exfoliator 

This is a winter must. I can not handle dry, flaky lips. This is so much better than any other lip scrub, it is just like putting on lip balm. The scrubbies stay on the stick and it leaves a light balm on your lips. Best $4 purchase ever.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation

The only thing that isn't amazing about this foundation is the price, at $50 bucks I hate myself every time I have purchased it. Luckily I am still on my first bottle. That's not really a bottle is it? Tube? Moving on. It goes on like a dream, you can use a light had and still up with full coverage. Heavy handed doesn't feel caked on, on those terrible skin days you I can put it on like Spackle and it still feels like I have light makeup on. It blends almost by itself and it works well with powders and blushes. It also puts up a brave fight against oily skin and working in a restaurant.  




Alright, I still have a pile of products on my table but I am just so beyond exhausted so you have to wait until tomorrow. 

Thanks!
A.