IPSY Review – March 2017

Have you heard of Ipsy?! It is a monthly beauty subscription service that allows you to try unique brands, use different products, and collect items items that you may not pick up on your own. For only $10 a month I’d say it’s quite the deal! You can join by clicking here if you’re interested.

Here is what I got in my most recent March bag…

Ofra Cosmetics – Peach Blush Talk about a dupe for Nars’ Orgasm!!! This blush has some serious gold reflection to it that is very flattering on the skin. On my skin tone specifcally I had some difficulty with the peach shade showing up, but I do think this will flatter lighter skin tones.

Air Repair Skincare – Complexion Boosting Moisturizer I am pretty picky with skincare and this passed the test. It is packed full of antioxidants and left my skin feeling perfectly moisturized. Can’t ask for much more than that!

Beau Gachis – Tapered Blending Brush This is my favorite item of the bag! Ipsy seriously reads my mind when it comes to brushes, because I’ve been on the lookout for a new blending brush. This baby is going to seriously come in handy. I love the curved tip and fluffy bristles… it makes blending a dream.

Tarte – Tartiest Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint While I love this brand, I’m not a huge liquid lipstick lover. However I did try this out and it was less drying than others I have tried in the past, with more of a velvet matte finish. The applicator is very precise and I think it will be a good shade to save for autumn.

ModelCo – Eye Define Crayon Liner This liner claims to glide on without tugging or dragging, which is the exact opposite experience I had with it. The product is very stiff and difficult to blend. I do like trying new black liners because, let’s face it, they are a staple in any makeup collection but this one just did not do it for me.

Ipsy Review – February 2017

If you are unfamiliar with Ipsy, it is a ten dollar a month beauty subscription service. You can sign up here to get five deluxe or full size samples sent to you in a unique beauty bag every month. I have been a member for well over a year now and can say that it is so fun to play around with a set of new and customized products. It’s a perfect way to build your makeup, haircare, and skincare collection.

Here is what I got this month!!!

NYX “Butter Lipstick” – Lippies are my favorite!!! I got the shade Lifeguard, which is not a full on red but more of a deep magenta. The satin finish on this is amazing. It is super moisturizing and comfortable on the lips. I will definitely be on the look out for more of these babies in different shades.

Luxie “Rose Gold Blush Brush #514” – When I started getting back into makeup a couple of years ago, I bought myself a (cheap) brush set off of amazon. Since then, I have been upgrading brush by brush so I was super excited to get this! I love Luxie because it is a cruelty-free brand and is great quality. This brush has synthetic bristles and is in a small dome shape. It is meant for blush, which for me works perfectly.

BeFine “Gentle Face Cleanser” – This cleanser, while a good product, wasn’t my favorite. I do like that it is vegan with all natural ingredients and has a nice minty scent. However, my preference is to use a face wash that has scrubby beads in order to really feel like my skin is getting cleansed. This is more of a smooth texture so I likely won’t be using it regularly, but do love the brand. (Here is a tip: Keep products you won’t use in a small basket in your bathroom to put out for when you have guests over!)

Elizabeth Mott “Whatup Beaches Bronzer” – I LOVE this bronzer!!! It is so soft and silky with the perfect matte formula and the shade is on point. My only complaint is the tiny little pan it came in, but I am debating getting this in a full size because I love it that much.

 Winky Lux “Diamond Complexion Powder” – And last but not least a… diamond powder?! Apparently this powder has finely crushed diamonds in it and while I am skeptical at that, I do like this a lot. I have been using it to set my under eye concealer and that’s been working out great. It gives a little extra coverage than my normal loose translucent powder.

Ipsy Review – January 2017

Pacifica – Blushious Blush – Besides lippies, blushes are my favorite item to find in my bag! I got the color Wildrose and while it isn’t a shade I would normally go for, I do like it, for winter especially. There is a really pretty sheen that makes this blush super unique.

Purlisse – Blue Lotus Mud Mask – Nothing beats a good mud mask. I plan to save this sample for traveling, when my skin typically needs a little bit more love. The size makes it really travel friendly and I have loved this brand in the past so look forward to trying it out.

It Cosmetics – Bye Bye Undereye Concealer – This concealer is supposed to illuminate your under eyes and double as an anti-aging product. I can totally see what they were going for, but for me personally it didn’t quite work out. I found that it actually brought more attention to my under eyes in a non-flattering way. I’ll stick with the regular Bye Bye Undereye concealer because the coverage is still amazing.

Temptu – Matte Primer – I have been enjoying this primer quite a bit! It’s great for everyday priming around the perimeter of my face, though I do go in with a separate pore-filling primer to take care of my stubborn t-zone area. The only thing I don’t really care for with this product is the smell, which is chemically.

theBalm – Matte Bronzer – Talk about an item I was excited to see! This is a cult favorite and I got the shade Bahama Mama. It is on the cooler tone side and pretty dark for my skin currently, but I think it will work well for me in the summer months… ohhhh summer 🙂 .

 

This month was a definite hit for me!!! Recently I have only been excited for one or two items in my bag, but January was good to me. I see myself using all of the items except the concealer, which I plan to pass along to a friend. Click here to sign up for Ipsy, it’s something I look forward to each and every month, XOXO.

Ipsy Review – December 2016

Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that allows you to try unique brands, use different products, and collect items items that you may not pick up on your own… AND it’s only $10 a month!!! I’ve been a member for about a year and half and love this service. You can join by clicking here if you’re interested.

Smashbox – InstaMatte Lipstick Transformer: I honestly think I am the only person on the planet that doesn’t love the matte lip trend. That being said, I did give this a quick shot and found it didn’t work too well for me so I did pass it along to someone else in my life who I think it may work better for.

Privai – Aqua Gel Masque: I have been meaning to try a gel moisturizer, as I have acne prone skin and use cream moisturizers, which I hear can enhance pimples. This one has worked nicely for me so far. It smells and feels great on the skin!

Royal & Langnickel – MODA Angle Shader Brush: Ipsy has sent me this brand of brushes before and I really love them! This is high quality and I’m in love with the purple!

City Cosmetics – Be Matte Blushes: This is my favorite item I got this month… I love trying out new blushes and don’t have any of these colors. The shades are called Fresh Melon, Blackberry, and Guava. They are great quality and I’ve found them to last all day long.

NYX – Prismatic Shadow: And my least favorite items I got is this little guy in the shade Fireball. I don’t love red-based shadows on my eyes and keep getting them sent to me, grrrrr.

Ipsy Review – November 2016

Time for my monthly unbagging! If you are unfamiliar with Ipsy, it is a ten dollar a month beauty subscription service. You get five deluxe or full size samples sent to you in a unique beauty bag. (Join by clicking here if you are interested.) Here is what I got this month…

Out of my mix of items I will probably get the most use out of angled eye brush because, let’s face it, no woman can have enough make up brushes! However why in the world any company makes brushes with white bristles is a mystery to me. I’ve already tried the Formula X nail polish and, while I LOVE this brand, the color isn’t much my style. I may use the Ofra Banana Powder but prefer a more full coverage powder. I like this product but would recommend it to my less acne-prone friends out there. For me, it just doesn’t provide the coverage I like. I was excited to try theBalm Mad Lash mascara but the packaging is super strange and after reading reviews I know I’m not the only person who thinks so! Instead of twisting the wand up you have to pull it out and it got pretty messy for me. Lastly I just don’t see myself using the NUXE facial serum and will probably pass it along to someone else.

I hate to be negative, but honestly I’m not overly thrilled with my bag this month. I find that the months tend to wax and wane… some months are just better than others and this month just wasn’t my favorite, XOXO.

Ipsy Review – October 2016

Ummmm Ipsy were you literally reading my mind this month?! I’m so excited for this bag of goodies!!! I have seriously been wanting to some of these products forever and a day. And this super appropriately themed Halloween bag?!?! STOP!!!

If I had to pick, I think I would say I’m most excited for theBalm Cosmetics blush in Cabana Boy. I am in love with Frat Boy and can’t wait to try this one because of the warm tone and shimmer quality. I’m almost equally as excited for the MeMeMe Blush Brush because the bristles look like they will give a really natural appearance for the blush application. The blush brush I currently use has very tightly packed bristles, which I think gives a harsher look, and these look looser. Next up I’m super stoked for Sally’s Box Aqua Moist Gel Cream. I’ve heard that gel moisturizers help control acne more than others, so really look forward to seeing if that will hold true for me. While I am excited for the Ciate London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner, I do have several black eyeliners that need to be used up so I’m not as excited for this product but will get use out of it. Can a girl really have too many black liners?! And lastly is the Cosmoholic Liquid Lipstick in Mysterious Mocha, which looks like a shade I may pass along to my (trendier than me) niece.

Overall I’m super excited for the bag this month!!! I do find that Ipsy bags tend to wax and wane for me… some months are kind of meh and others are amazing like this one. I hope you enjoyed  this pre-unbagging and as always you can click here to sign up to get Ipsy for yourself, XOXO!

Ipsy Review – September 2016

Ipsy time!!!

Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that allows you to try unique brands, use different products, and collect items items that you may not pick up on your own… AND it’s only $10 a month!!! Five customized beauty products are sent to you each much in an adorable new bag. Sign up by clicking here.

Here is what I got this month…

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics – Nail Polish: I received the shade “Holy Fuchsia” and think this will be oh-so perfect for fall! I love deep, vampy colors on my nails.

Eva NYC – Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner: Never have I ever even heard of a dry conditioner. I honestly just used it like I would a dry shampoo to cover up oil on day three hair. It did work nicely and smells amazing.

Trestique – Mini Highlight Stic: Because I use powder on the daily, I don’t tend to reach for cream highlights. The shade I got is “Maldives Luminescent” and it does not show up well on me even pre-powder, so I’ll be passing this along to a friend. (Love this brand, though!)

Too Faced – Lip Injection Extreme: I haven’t tried a lip plumper in years and am totally in love with this one! The effects visibly show within 15 minutes. It goes on clear with subtle shimmer and tingles just a tad at first. The only thing I don’t care for is the scent and taste, which both remind me of candied grapefruit.

NUXE – Moisturizing Mask Creme Fraiche de Beaute: This will be super helpful for me in the colder months to come. I am typically pretty oily but when winter rolls around my skin needs a little bit more moisture, XOXO.

Ipsy Review – August 2016

Could the bag this bag be any cuter?! For those of you unfamiliar with Ipsy, it is a ten dollar a month beauty subscription. You get five deluxe or full size samples shipped to you in an adorable bag. Join by clicking here if you are interested!

Now on to the good stuff…

Marc Anthony – Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco Deep Hydrating Treatment

Repeat offender! I was super disappointed to see this included in my bag because I have gotten it before and didn’t love it. I’m probably the only person on the planet who doesn’t like the smell of argan oil, but that is the reason I don’t use this product. I’ll be passing this along to someone who may like it more than I.

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics – Neapolitan Palette

Pigmented shadows and I can totally create a full look using these shades. Overall I am impressed at the quality of these and think it will make a great travel product, especially.

Ciate London – Paint Pot in “Dangerous Affair”

Love!!! This is such a perfect color for the upcoming fall season and I have been wanting to try this brand for forever and a day. I have heard some amazing reviews about Ciate and can’t wait to try this little baby out!

IT Cosmetics – No Tug Waterproof Mini Gel Eyeliner

If  you are looking for a creamy, easy-to-wear, glide on black liner then I would  recommend this one hands down. It stays put all day, even on the waterline, and does live up to the claim that it won’t tug at your skin. It also goes on matte plus is easy to remove with a wipe.

Beaute Basics – Three Tone Bronzer

While these shades are a bit on the darker side, I’ll be saving this little guy for next summer when I really want to bronze it up. I think it would make a really pretty shadow as well.

My Year With Ipsy

It’s official… I have officially been with Ipsy for a year now! What better time to look back through my  collection of samples and reflect on some of my favorites. In no particular order, here are the stand out products (including the super cute bags) that have been a tried and true for me from Ipsy within the past year.

In my opinion, Ipsy is the best beauty subscription service out there within the $10 a month price range. I have subscribed to Lip Monthly and Birchbox in the past, but those only lasted a few months each for me… Ipsy is surly here to stay.

What do I love so much about Ipsy? I’m glad you asked 🙂 . What has kept me subscribed for a full year first and foremost is the strong focus on makeup rather than skincare and haircare. Yes, Ipsy does include a wide variety of products, however my bags typically have more makeup than anything else, which I love. Ipsy also has a great customer service department and I know this firsthand. Two months I inputted my first complaint to Ipsy, which was based on a missing item. I emailed them, got a quick response, and with ease was sent my product. And I can’t forget to mention that Ipsy sends so many amazing brands that are unique, well-known, and trendy. Plus HELLO have you seen the cute bags they send you?! Another plus.

If you’re interested in signing up for Ipsy you can click here to see for yourself just how amazing it really is, XOXO!!!

Birchbox Review – July 2016

Today I bring to you my very last Birchbox review, at least for now. Wondering why this will be the last? Keep reading for more details on why I chose to cancel my Birchbox subscription this month. But first a rundown of the products I received  for the month of July…

I’m always happy to try out a new mascara and the Benefit They’re Real! Lengthening Mascara looks really great. Like I mentioned in my Ipsy Review this month, however, I won’t be actually trying any new mascaras until I can use up the billion (at least) that I have open right now. So this little guy will just have to get in line. My favorite product by far that I received in this box is the LOC Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencil. I got the color “Cupid’s Bow”, which is cool-toned hot pink that is oh-so perfect for summer. The formula is very creamy and long lasting and I just love it! I also got the Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches with Soothing Cornflower, which will be great for a relaxing night in. I’m going to save these for a day that I’m looking for some rejuvination, since these combat dehydrated undereyes. I did get a chance to try the Davines This Is a Sea Salt Spray and while it smells amazing, it also gives your hair that lovely crunchy texture circa 1992 so I don’t know that I will continue to use it. Lastly I got the Avene Thermal Spring Water and really love the hydration it gives my face that I didn’t actually know my skin has been longing for in the summer months.

So why no more Birchbox? Well, for a few reasons…

For about a year now I have been getting at least 2-3 beauty boxes per month. As a result my sample collection is a little out of control for my liking! I have been stashing up tons of products and in general don’t like items laying around my  house that don’t often get used. (I have more beauty bags, hair serums, and single eye shadows hanging out than I care to count.) So I knew something had to go. Birchbox has a stronger focus on haircare and skincare, which I do enjoy… by I like getting makeup better. Birchbox also recently got rid of their pretty amazing rewards system, which solidified my decision to cancel. So there you have it. I have enjoyed my subscription while it lasted but also know the importance of using up what I have, XOXO.

What samples did you love this month? Anyone else throwing their Birchbox subscription to the curb?