April 2016 Empties

Hi everyone! It's time again to share with you the products I used up for the month of April. I feel like I didn't do very well, and have plenty of products on their last legs that could've gotten used up earlier, but I haven't been wearing much makeup, or even taking that great care of my skin lately. 

I'll start off with a few skincare bits. Of course it wouldn't be an empties here without a bottle of The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. You all know how much I love this stuff, but the price of it has gone up so much in the last few years, that I'm actually considering trying something else once I use up what's in my stash. 

Next up is the Radha Beauty Miracle Retinol Moisturizer. Not quite sure how this is a miracle, since it dried out my skin and didn't do much for me. I always had to put another moisturizer on top of this because it gave no hydration whatsoever. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it here or not, but I used to really love the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask. It moisturized my lips like no other and kept them soft and supple without having to reapply. I put it away for a while and came back to it again sometime last month. However, it started making my lips go completely numb about 10-15 minutes after applying it, and it wouldn't go away. It was so bizarre, and then I finally realized that the first ingredient is Lanolin, which is derived from wool. Wool makes me breakout in hives, so I figured I had an allergic reaction to this lip mask. In the trash it goes, because I'm not chancing something more serious happening. 

I had the biggest gripe with the Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator when I first received it in a previous Ipsy bag. The container wasn't even a quarter of the way filled with product and I thought I'd hardly get any use from it. Well, I did end up getting quite a few uses out of this and I'm very pleased with how well this works. It just makes my skin so dang soft and beautiful. I doubt I'd buy a full size, but this was nice while it lasted. 

Lastly for skincare, I have two deluxe sized samples of Ole Henriksen products. One is the Truth Serum Collagen Booster, which was freaking fantastic and is probably one of the best serums I've tried. The second is the Invigorating Night Gel, which I didn't care for. It did make my skin feel better, but also stung quite a bit upon application and I didn't like that, so in the trash it goes. 

Next up is a bit of makeup and a random product. I used up two of my all-time favorite mascaras, Tarte Gifted and Covergirl The Super Sizer. These two are probably my picks for favorite high-end (along with Too Faced Better Than Sex) and low-end. Once I use up what I have in my collection, I will be purchasing these two again!

I decided to just get rid of the Be A Bombshell Lip Balm in French Kiss. This felt very dried out and the color is a baby pink that looks awful on the lips. I already have so many lip balms to go through, so this won't be missed. 

Lastly is the Berry Twinkle Pocket Bac from Bath & Body Works. I loved this while I had it, and one day I found it hiding in a purse and it smelled awful and was incredibly runny. I dumped out what was left in the trash, which wasn't alot really, so now I can use a different one. 

Lastly, I have some random bath, body and health care stuff to share. My husband and I both used up the Sound Body Dandruff Shampoo. I get these bottles at Big Lots for just a few dollars and it's exactly like Head & Shoulders, just much less expensive. We already have another in our shower. 

You all know I have to use sensitive toothpaste due to my incredibly sensitive teeth and gums. This is the Topcare (Wegmans store brand) Extra Whitening Sensitive Toothpaste, and I don't really care for this much. I don't notice any difference in sensitivity and the taste is a little odd as well. 

I finally used up the Bath & Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin foaming hand soap that's been in our bathroom for ages. I love these hand soaps, but they're really expensive even when there's a sale, so once I go through my stash, I'll look elsewhere for less expensive soaps. 

And lastly we have the final Bath & Body Works Shower Gel I had in my stash, which was Orange Sapphire. While this one smelled amazing, it did nothing for me. These shower gels make me itch and make my skin super dry. Plus they're really expensive for what they are. So glad to have these gone and I'll never repurchase. 

Number of products used up: 14
Total for the year: 66

I'm still doing good so far, and we're only in the 5th month of the year. I'm really hoping I can use up a ton more products. I think I'm making a goal of using up 250 products for the entire year. Last year I used up 177 products, so I have some work to do y'all!

What are some products you used up?

July 2015 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! It's finally Ipsy time, where I get to show you what I received in my bag this month! The theme is Summer Lovin', and it's currently feeling very Summery and humid here, so the theme definitely fits. Lets see what I got this month!

So the actual bag that everything comes in, it's just alright. I'm not a fan of the color scheme or the design, and I personally don't think it looks Summery. That's alright, it's what's inside that counts, and I'm a bit meh with that as well.

The first product I received is the Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in the shade Gilt. It's a pretty champagne color that says it's waterproof, easy to blend and long wearing. I've heard of this brand alot lately so I am curious to try this and see how it works. The cool thing is it comes with its own sharpener as it's not a retractable pencil. 

Next up is the Be A Bombshell Lip Balm, and I received the shade called French Kiss, which is a light pink. I'm all for lip balms, I can never get enough really, but this is just a plain ole balm that doesn't have any color payoff or scent whatsoever. I don't really understand why there are different shades. Maybe the other one that was sent out is more pigmented.

Next we have the Aurora Gel Effect Nail Polish in the shade 4 Alarm Fire. I do admit that the shade is very pretty, but I've said it many times before and I'm saying it again: I CAN'T STAND GETTING NAIL POLISH!!! Seriously, I've had so many bottles of nail polish sent to me in Ipsy bags, and I'm so over it. I never really do my nails that often, so most of the polishes I have are just sitting in a drawer, unloved. I've retaken the quiz and reviewed the polishes I've gotten to hopefully have them realize no more polish, but I guess it doesn't work.

Now we have the Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten Up! Exfoliating Cleanser. I was acutally pretty excited to get this in my bag, but when I picked it up, it's basically empty! I can probably try and get maybe 2 small uses at most out of this, but I'm incredibly disappointed that there is hardly any product in the container. 

The last product is the Coolway Beachy Salt Spray. I also don't really like getting hair sprays in my Ipsy bags either and I wish they would stop sending them. I'm fine with getting shampoo or conditioner products, as I will always use them, but anything that's a hair spray, texturizing spray, or anything that gives hair that crunchy feeling, forget it. I'll never use it! 

Overall, I am pretty disappointed this month. Now I could just be angry because of my pregnancy hormones, but I won't get use out of the majority of this bag. Normally Ipsy is pretty great and if I have a disappointing bag, the next month is usually better. 

If you're not subscribed to Ipsy and you would like to be, you can do so here via my referral link! It only costs $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you typically get 4-5 deluxe sized products along with a makeup bag. Occasionally they will send full sized products, which is a nice treat!

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you get in your bag? Are you happy with the products this month?

March 2015 Empties!

Hi everyone! Today I'm showing you my trash. I used up a pretty decent amount of products in March, so grab a snack or a drink, because this may be a long one!

I'll start with skincare since that's what I have the most of. The first product is the Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser. I used this in the mornings, and I really did like it. It cleaned my skin well and got rid of any oil I may have had from the night before. 

This wouldn't be an empties without an Aloe Calming Toner from The Body Shop. I've talked about this a ton before, so I won't beat a dead horse. This is my favorite toner ever, and I use it primarily at night, unless it's Winter, then I use it morning and night. 

I used up a sample of the Pangea Organics Facial Scrub, and I didn't really care for it. The scrubbing bits in it were a bit rough, and it didn't smell too pleasant. 

I used up another sample of the bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser, and I really, really like this! I used it in the morning and got a good weeks worth of use out of it. It cleans really well, but doesn't strip the skin. This is a great everyday, basic cleanser.

I used up a sample of the Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer. This moisturizer is so interesting to me. It feels thick when I rub it between my hands, but once I apply it to my face, it spreads out evenly and feels incredibly silky. It's extremely hydrating, so I only used it at night, but I always woke up with really pretty skin.

I finally finished up 2 InstaNatural products, the first one being the Hyaluronic Acid Serum and the second one is the Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum, which I reviewed here along with another product. The hyaluronic serum was amazing mixed into my morning moisturizer when I needed extra hydration and the skin clearing serum is probably one of the best serums for oily, acne prone skin I've ever tried. It seriously was amazing stuff, and I probably will repurchase when I use up other skin treatments. 

Now for makeup. I'm throwing away the Coastal Scents mini eyeshadow quads that I received in previous Ipsy bags. I was going through my makeup, saw these, and just decided to get rid of them. I've never used them and a couple shadows broke, so I have no use just hanging onto them. 

I'm also throwing away the Be a Bombshell Liquid Eyeliner in the shade Onyx. This also came in a previous Ipsy bag. I found this hard to use because the felt tip of this is so chunky and large, which made it hard getting a thin line. The color is so black though, which makes it tough to throw away. Oh well, like I said above, there is no use hanging onto this if I have no use for it!

The Freeman Purifying Paper Mask was not good. I'm not a fan of sheet masks, and this one was no exception. It didn't sit right on my face, so I kept getting it in my eyes and up my nose. I'll stick with my normal masks, thank you!

I absolutely loved the Korres Guava Body Butter! It smelled amazing and really hydrated my skin. I'm trying to get my skin in good shape after it being so dry in the Winter, so I need anything that's going to put moisture back into my skin. This did it, and I'm a little sad it's gone. 

I didn't care much for the Bliss High Intensity Hand Cream. First off, it's not that intense. It didn't really help my hands in any way. Second, I went through it pretty fast because of that. I felt like I kept having to reapply to get it to do anything. At least it's not sitting around anymore waiting to be used up!

If I'm not mistaken, this Simply Be Well Lotion came from the hotel my husband and I stayed at during our honeymoon. I'm weird and always take those little sample toiletries with me. This was alright. It's a very lightweight lotion and I only used it on my arms. This would've done nothing for my poor, dry legs.

Last few things! I am so happy to finally be finished a Johnson's Baby Shampoo. I use this stuff to clean my brushes, and let me tell you, I had this bottle when my husband and I first moved in together in the Summer of 2012. I got a hug double pack of these before we moved, and I'm just starting to use the second one. Crazy how long this big bottle lasts!

I'm sure I've mentioned before, but I'm not the biggest fan of Bath & Body Works body products. Candles and handsoap, I love, but body products, not so much. I had this Country Chic scented shower gel for a while. I'm going to start using up all their body care stuff I have because I don't want to be wasteful. 

The very last product is the Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in the Pumpkin Caramel Latte scent. Holy crap, does this stuff smell like heaven! I love anything that smells like pumpkin, but this smells like dessert and I wish I had a backup. There is always next Fall! Hopefully they bring it back.

Phew! If you lasted til now, thank you and I love you! I'm so happy to be using up so many products. I seem to be on a mission lately to de-clutter my life and I have so many beauty products to go through, so when I use something up, it feels like weight lifted off my shoulders. Such an awesome feeling!

What did you use up lately?

November 2014 Favorites

Happy December! I know everyone and their dog says this, but this year has totally flown by! I mean honestly, where does time go? It's the 1st of December, which means there is only one more week until my birthday, and one month til 2015! Craziness. Anyways, this month was up and down with products. I've been working my booty off, which means I spent alot of my free time sleeping and not doing my makeup before work, but I do have a few products to share with you that stood out for me!

First up, we have a body butter from The Body Shop and it's in the Shea scent. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this on my blog and had it featured in a favorites before. Since it's been unusually cold lately, my skin is freaking out. It's so dry and flaky, so I started using this stuff again and it definitely helps my itchy, dry Winter skin.

The next product is one that I hauled here, and it's the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix. As of writing this post, the Sephora site says it's permanently out of stock, which sucks, because this set is amazing! I seriously love every color, there isn't one that I'm even iffy about. They feel nice on the lips, go on smoothly, and last a while as well. Definitely one of my favorite purchases lately!

Next up we have the InstaNatural Age-Defying Skin Clearing Serum. I did a review of this here, and honestly, I think this is one of the best treatment serums I've ever tried. When I use this, I feel like my skin gets more and more clear and looks really healthy. It dries down really quick, but I do add a moisturizer on top. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the color Submissive. I did a review here, and I really am enjoying this eye base. I do love my color tattoos from Maybelline, but I've been reaching for this more when I don't want to fuss with my makeup but still want to look like a normal person. It gives a nice wash of color to the lids, but I do notice it does crease a bit when I don't use a primer underneath. 

My last favorite is the Maybelline Matte Lipsticks, and the two colors I have are Lust For Blush and Ravishing Rose. If you were to tell me a year or so ago that I'll be loving lipstick in the future, I'd probably look at you like an alien. I've always loved gloss, but I could not get into lipstick, especially matte ones. These are phenomenal lipsticks! I'm amazed at how they feel on my lips, even though I do use balm underneath. I love the colors I have, I love how they apply, I love everything about them. I'd get more colors, but these were the only two that stood out to me right away. I think I want to review these in a future post, so stay tuned for that!

November was definitely the month for lippies! What were some of your favorites last month?

Review: Be A Bombshell Eye Base in Submissive

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing a product that I received in my most recent Ipsy bag, the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the color Submissive. I don't usually review products from Ipsy bags, but this one is special to me, so read on!

As far as I can tell, you can only get Be A Bombshell products on their website. Their eye bases cost $14, so this product itself payed for my Ipsy bag, plus some! 

When I first saw I was getting this, I was happy but I do have quite a bit of eye bases that need more love than they already get. Once it was in my hands, I changed my tune a bit. I used it the very next day after receiving it and was super impressed with how it looked on the lids. You can apply it with your fingers, but I prefer to use a brush to help with blending. It applies evenly and is super creamy and easy to work with. 

The color is so beautiful! At first I thought it was going to be like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, but this base has more gold to it. The first time I used it, I did use shadow over the top of it and my look lasted my whole work day. I do have to use a primer first because I do get oily eyelids. The second time I used this, I used it on its own with just some shadow in the crease. By the end of the day it still looked nice, but just a little faded, so I do think this works a bit better when shadow is applied over the top. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with this eye base! I honestly didn't think I would like it as much as I do, even though I was excited to receive it. Would I buy more? I'm not sure yet. Like I said above, I do have quite a few bases and cream shadows to use up, so if I do want more of these, I'm gonna have to use up what I have first. 

Remember, when you sign up with Ipsy, you receive a beauty bag every month for only $10, and alot of times you get a product that's worth more than the whole bag itself!

What's your favorite eye base/cream shadow?

November 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I received my Ipsy bag sometime last week, but only got around to posting about it til today. Work has been kicking my booty and I'll admit, I'm just tired. Anyways, this month's Ipsy bag is called Girl Meets Glitter, and so far, I'm not as impressed as I was last month.

I'm not sure how I really feel about the look of the bag. It's glittery out the wazoo, but I'm just happy it's got a smooth texture to it instead of being rough. I don't really see myself carrying this around with me.

I'm split on the products too. Half of them I like, the other half I can do without. That being said, the first product is the Temptu S/B Highlighter in the color Pink Pearl. I'm not a highlighter girl. I have oily skin most months out of the year so I have that glow already. Plus I don't own the Temptu airbrush system, so this is definitely useless to me. I'm hoping I can find some way to use it though. 

Next up is the Nicole by OPI Nail Polish in the color Guys & Galaxies. I'm sure I've already said multiple times, but I'm just not into nail polish. Give me skincare and makeup, but all the nail polish I get in these bags goes to waste. I have to really be in the mood to do my nails and I have tons of nail polish that are just sitting around. 

Next we have the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray. Again, another useless product for me. I've never used hairspray in my life so unless I give this away to someone, this product will sit in my collection gathering dust. 

Then we have the Be A Bombshell Eye Base in the shade Submissive. I'm happy with this. I love eye bases and this one is a pretty taupe-y bronze-y gold color that will probably get good use. Finally something I can use in this bag!

The last product is another good one for me. It's the ClariSEA Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant. Yes, yes and yes! I love a good exfoliant, especially this time of year when my skin gets drier. I can't wait to put this to use, but I have read comments that it's a bit rough, so we shall see. 

Well, that's my bag. I do wish I had some better products in here, but you can't always have an amazing bag. I have reviewed these products so hopefully they take into consideration that I don't really care for hairspray and nail polish!

If you want to sign up for Ipsy, use my referral link here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some and you get some good products! (Most of the time, at least) 

If you're already subscribed, what did you get in your bag?

June 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! A few days ago I received my Ipsy bag in the mail, and I was really flipping excited for this month because I always look in my glam room before I actually get the bag in the mail. I'm probably weird to spoil what should be a surprise, but I just like to see what I'm getting beforehand. Anyways, onto the bag and goodies!

So apparently the bag was designed by Rebecca Minkoff, and I really actually like this bag! It's cute and Summery and I can see myself carrying this around with me. I'll be honest though, I don't really care if something is "designer" or not, but this is a pretty bag! Onto the products!

The first product I received is the Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray. I could honestly do without this because I don't do much with my hair, I just put it into a ponytail basically everyday. I haven't tried it, but the only thing I like so far is the smell. Holy coconuts does this smell delicious! Reminds me of The Body Shop's coconut body butter. LOVE!

Next up we have the Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes. I was so ecstatic to get these because I've always wanted to try them. If I'm not mistaken, Fleur from FleurdeForce on YouTube raves about these. If she likes them, then I probably will too!

Then we have another awesome product, a NYX Butter Gloss in the color Eclair. I already have 5 of these babies and I prayed that I didn't get one I already had. Luckily I don't have this particular one, and I'm thrilled to add another to my collection! These glosses are fabulous and I want pretty much every color they have.

Be a Bombshell is starting to get annoying for me. I've received plenty of their products in past Ipsy bags, but I'm a mascara hoarder lover, so it doesn't hurt to try out another, right? I will say though, the smell is pretty pungent, like plastic overload. Kinda turns me off, but I'll save it for when I feel like trying it out. 

The last product I received is the Jesse's Girl Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. I can't tell you how excited I am to try this! I've seen this given out in other bags before, but I was never lucky enough to get one, until now. I can't wait to try this out, it seems really black and also easy to use.

Swatch of NXY gloss and Jesse's Girl eyeliner

Well that's everything I got this month! Ipsy has totally redeemed itself for me this time, and unless the next few bags really are terrible, I'm staying subscribed for quite a while! 

If you want to receive awesome products like this every month, sign up here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some.

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you receive in your bag?

March 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I decided to take a mental health day from work today because I'm not feeling too well so I wanted to finally get this month's Ipsy bag post up! I'll start out by saying that I'm not too impressed. Anyways, onto the bag!

The theme this month is called Destination Beauty and the print on the bag is from an artist named Klari Reis. Ipsy is apparently doing an Artist Series asking artists to design prints for upcoming Ipsy bags. I think it's a neat idea but I don't like this print to be honest. It's too busy for me. Now lets see what products I received!

The first product is the Pacifica Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter. I remember getting one of these body butters in the blood orange scent which I did really like. I'm pretty obsessed with coconut and this stuff smells really amazing, so I'll definitely be using it!

Then I received a bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in the color Get Ready. I don't think I've ever tried these lipsticks before but this shade is really pretty, kinda like a my lips but better shade. I'm more of a gloss girl but I'll try this and see if I like it. 

Next up is probably my favorite product in the bag, and it's the Be a Bombshell Eyeshadow quad in Bora Bora. When I saw we were either getting this or a NYX trio, I was secretly hoping for this and I'm so happy I did! The colors are beautiful and they're actually not bad quality pigmentation-wise. I haven't used these on my eyes yet, but I did swatch them and am very pleased with the colors.

Last product I really just wanna throw away. I got ANOTHER damn nail polish, and it's the Nicole by OPI Roughles nail polish in the shade On What Grounds?. I can't say how many times I've retaken the quiz and reviewed any nail polish I've gotten negatively. Even though I just bought some nail polish today, I really gotta be in the mood to do my nails, and today I actually am, but I really don't want anymore polishes in my bags for a long, long time! If I get another nail polish next month, I'm gonna scream. I probably won't even use this because I'm not a huge fan of the textured polishes anyways. 

Swatch of lipstick and Bora Bora quad

Well that's everything! In the scheme of things, this isn't a terrible bag. For only $10, it's actually a pretty good deal. You get good sized samples and most of the time, the bags are pretty nice. If you'd like to sign up for Ipsy, click here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some!

If you're already subscribed to Ipsy, what did you receive?

Also, check out my blog sale!

December 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I know I said in my last post that this post was going to be a haul, but I just received my Ipsy bag in the mail, and I was really looking forward to what I got! So, lets see what's in this month's bag!

Now, I gotta admit, this month I don't like the actual bag everything came in. I do like the color black, but I just don't like the texture of it, or the look. I do like most of the products though!

The first product I received is a NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in the color Ceto. I know I've mentioned before that I'm not much of a lipstick person and that I prefer gloss more, but I think I'm gonna start delving into the world of lipsticks. I do like the pinky nude color I received, so I'm much more comfortable with trying it out!

The next product in my bag was a Mirabella Eye Blender Brush. I'm obsessed with any kind of makeup brushes, so I was extremely happy to have received this! I especially love blending brushes, and the quality of this seems really nice. The handle is good and sturdy and the bristles of the brush are incredibly soft. I'm excited to use this!

I then received a Be a Bombshell The One Stick in the color Flustered. Apparently you can use this on your eyelids, cheeks and lips, which to me seems pretty neat. This product seems like that Nars Multiple Stick, which I don't own but hear alot about. I'd probably only use this as a lip stain or possibly a cheek color in the Winter. My skin is far too oily for cream cheek products any other time of year. 

Next, I received the POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio in the shade Naturally Bare. I'm a neutral eyeshadow girl most of the time, so I'm very happy I got this one instead of the Smokin Hot trio. The colors in this look nice, but I haven't swatched it yet. I may actually wear this to work later today! 

The last product in my bag is a Nicka K New York Nail Color in the shade Classic Taupe. First off, the bottle is so pretty and classy looking, and the color isn't too bad either. I have to say though, I am a little over getting nail polish in these bags. I have so many nail polishes and rarely paint my nails these days. 

That's everything in my bag this month! Overall, I'm very impressed because the last few bags were just meh in my opinion. For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, you really get an amazing deal with all the awesome products you can receive. Click here to sign up if you haven't already!

If you are subscribed, what did you receive in your bag this month?

November 2013 Ipsy Bag

*Blows dust off blog, coughs a little*

Hey everyone! Remember me?! I sure hope so, because I missed everyone! It's been almost 2 weeks since I've last posted and I'm so sorry! I don't even really know what to say anymore for my being absent. I will say that I've had a few personal issues going on in life and I've been stressed to the max from it, but that's all I'll say. Also, I have this horrible stye on my eyelid (if you don't know what that it, just Google it, it's not fun to talk about) and I haven't been able to wear any makeup for the past few days because of it. I'm hoping in another couple days it all clears up!

Anyways, sorry for that long intro, but today's post is going to be what I received in my Ipsy bag this month! The theme for this month was Glam It Up, and I was very excited to see what products were going to be in this bag.

I'm not the biggest fan of the actual bag the products came in to be honest. I don't really like the print and I have to be in the mood to like the color gold, if that makes sense. Also, I'm not entirely happy with the products either :(

The first product I received is the Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in the color Caviar Cocktail. I have to admit, I'm a little bored with getting nail polish in these bags. It's not a bad color at all, but I'm definitely bored with this!

We also got a chance to try out Michelle Phan's new line of makeup called Em Cosmetics and I got the Pillow Plush Cushiony Lip Balm in the color Bubblegum, which is a pretty bubblegum pink color. I have tried this and I like how it feels on the lips and it also leaves a sheer wash of color, which I do like.

I then received the Pixi Beauty Bronzer in the color Subtly Suntouched. I'm not a bronzer person at all! I have a mini version of Too Faced Chocolate Soleil bronzer, and while I like it, I've only used it maybe 5 times, if that. I feel like I'm just too pale for bronzer.

I received another lip product by Be a Bombshell, and it's a Lip Crayon in the color Shameless. To me it looks like a mauve-y berry color. It's actually a very pretty color and I'll probably use it, but it's annoying getting two lip products in one bag. 

I don't really care for the Cailyn Built-In Sponge Tip Mineral Eyeshadow in the color Champagne. I have a ton of other eyeshadows like this color, so this doesn't really excite me. I haven't used it yet, but the application of it does intrigue me a little bit.

The last product I received is the Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in the color Topaz, which is this pretty shimmery silver color. I honestly don't know how I'm gonna use this pencil since I hardly ever wear eyeliner and I'm not too creative with it either. I may try to use this as a base or something and see what I can work with. 

Well that's everything I got! While I'm not totally happy with the products I received, the value of the bag is incredible! For only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, it's really not a bad deal at all. Sign up here if you're interested!

If you're already signed up, what did you receive this month?

June 2013 Favorites!

Hi guys! I know last month I was slacking a bit in the beauty posts with the blogging challenge I was doing, and I'm sorry for that. There is a challenge for July, but I won't be taking part. I want to focus more on beauty related posts, as this is what this blog is all about! Anyways, since it's now July, that means it's time for my monthly favorites, so lets get into it!

Starting with non-makeup related products, I've been loving the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This is such an amazing mask for clearing up any breakouts I've been having and It's been amazing for controlling the oiliness of my skin. With Summer now in full swing, I'm a big oil slick and this is helping wonders!

I found a tube of this Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen with SPF 55 hiding with all my other sunblock. I know I've mentioned a bazillion times how much I love the Dry Touch sunblock, but I wanted to use something different for once. I'm actually really impressed with this! It's so light and blends in incredibly well, and like the front of the bottle says, it doesn't cause any breakouts. At least not yet. I've only been using this for about 3 weeks, but so far, so good!

My next favorite is the Rimmel Lash Accelerator Serum. I've heard so many different reviews on this, and I'm really surprised with how much I like it! I haven't noticed too much growth with my lashes to be honest, but I have noticed that they're much stronger and when I remove my eye makeup at night, my lashes don't seem to fall out as much as they used to before I started using this. That's good enough for me, but I'll see if it helps with growth as I use it more.

Now onto the makeup goodies! I came across these NYX Love in Paris eyeshadow palettes from a Youtuber, so I wanted to look into them. I went on the Ulta website and NYX was on sale, buy 1, get one 50% off, so the first one was $9.99 and the second one was $5. The palette on the left is called Parisian Chic and the one on the right is called C'est La Vie. I love these eyeshadows! They're pigmented and they're a great price for what you're getting.

My next favorite is the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. With the same Ulta order, Real Techniques was also buy 1, get one 50% off so I decided to buy two sets and this particular brush is in the Core Collection. This brush is amazing with my bareMinerals powder foundation. I have tried it with liquid foundation and don't like it as much. I prefer the Expert Face Brush for liquid.

My last favorite is the Be a Bombshell Liquid eyeliner pen. This came in an Ipsy bag, but I can't remember which one, sorry! I've been trying to get better at doing eyeliner, especially doing the cat eye look with a little wing, and this has helped me immensely! I still think I suck at doing eyeliner, but this product is definitely helping me get better at it. 

Those are my favorites for June! I hope everyone liked this post and if you want to see a review on anything, let me know!

What are your June favorites?

April 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! Yesterday I received my Ipsy bag in the mail. I was really excited for this month because the theme was Pretty in Pink! Pink is my favorite color so I really couldn't wait to see what I got. Once I was able to see on the site what products we were getting, I kinda got a tad bit disappointed because the whole bag consists of this or that products, whether it be the actual product, or color of the product. Anyways, let's see what this month's bag brought me!

The actual bag itself is pretty cute. I'm not the hugest fan of white because it gets dirty too fast, but I love the pink at the top! I forgot to take a picture of the inside, but there are thick pink and white stripes and it says Ipsy...beauty by you, on some of the white stripes.

Onto the actual products! The first product was a this or that product. You either get this MicaBeauty Mineral eyeshadow in the color Earth, or you got a Two Cosmetics Duo Eyeshadow in the color Heartache. I was honestly hoping for the duo, only because I have so many mineral eyeshadows, it's getting overwhelming! The Mica eyeshadow isn't a bad color, but when I swatched it on my hand, it felt very chalky and flaked off my hand a bit. I'll be showing a swatch of this at the end of the post!

The next thing I got is the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal, which is a nourishing styling treatment. Now you either got this product or the Big Sexy Hair Powder Play, which is basically a volumizing powder. I'm happy I got the Soy Renewal. I don't really care for volumizing products, and the soy renewal is made with Morrocan Argan Oil, so that's exciting to me!

Now this Sation Nail Lacquer came in one of two colors. You either get this color, Love At First Byte which is a light peachy pink, or Of Corset I'll Call you which is a romantic lavender-rose. I was really hoping for Of Corset I'll Call You! I prefer purple-y pinks rather than peachy pinks. I'll see how I can make this color work for me.

This last product, a Be A Bombshell blush, came in one of two colors as well. You either got this color called Sweet Cheeks which is a medium rose pink with shimmer, or Beach Please which is a bright matte pink. I was actually hoping to get Beach Please not only because the name of it is really funny, but I don't think I have a bright matte pink blush in my collection! Swatching the one I got, I'm actually pleased with it and I feel like I can get use out of it this Spring and Summer. 

Swatch of blush on left, eyeshadow on right

That's everything I got in my bag! Overall, I'm happy with it, but not super happy because I didn't really get the colors I wanted. Oh well, for a $10 monthly subscription service, this really isn't too shabby. Especially because the blush is full sized and I believe the eyeshadow is as well!

What did you get in your Ipsy Bag? If you don't subscribe to Ipsy, what do you think of the products?

December 2012 Ipsy/Myglam Bag

Hey everyone! Sorry my December Ipsy bag post is kinda late, but works been kicking my booty! Anyways, I received it in the mail sometime last week and I wanted to share what I got. I will say, I'm not super impressed, but I'm still happy with it.

First off, I have to say that I lost one of the items in my house that came in the bag and they're the Mai Couture Highlighter Papier. It's basically a little booklet of face highlighter sheets similar to face blotting papers. I'm not sure how much use I'll get from them only because I think I'll feel weird putting it on my face. It's like I won't have much control or something. Plus it seems like a waste. I was also going to say that I love the bag everything came in! It's so cute and I love the color of it (sorry it came out a little funky in the picture). It's just a really pretty metallic grey from what my eyes can tell.

Anyways, the first item I got other than the highlighter sheets is the NYX Loose Pearl Shadow in the color Mocha Pearl. I've never tried a loose pigment shadow before and when I opened this little bottle, boy was it messy! I'm also not sure how I'm going to use it if it's so messy, but it's a pretty color so I'll find a way. I do have other eyeshadows this color it's nothing spectacular in my opinion. 

Next I got the Mirabella Prime for Face and Eyes. I don't think I'll be using this as an eye primer because it says not to get it close to the lash line, but I'll definitely try it out as a face primer. I have a lot of primers to use up, so this may be sitting in my collection for a little while. 

The next product I got is the Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in the color Hot Mess. Now I gotta admit, I'm not much of a bright red lip fan, at least not on me. I feel like my skin is too pale for it and it's better suited for someone with a darker complexion. I haven't tried it yet, but I'll give it a shot and maybe try to sheer it out as much as I can.

Lastly, I got an Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in the color Zero. I already have a smaller version of this pencil, and I do like it, but once I got my hands on Perversion, I can't really look at another black eyeliner. I'll definitely use Zero, but usually now if I want to wear a black eyeliner, I automatically use Perversion. 

Swatches of lip gloss, eyeliner and eyeshadow

Well that's my Ipsy bag this month. Like I said, I'm not too impressed but I'm not disappointed either. I love Urban Decay Eyeliners, I'll definitely use the lip gloss if I can sheer it out a lot, and I'll use the eyeshadow too. I don't really have a use for the highlighter papers and I already have lots of primers to use up. Hopefully next months bag is better!

October 2012 Ipsy/MyGlam Bag

Today I'm going to be sharing what I got in my Ipsy/Glam bag. First of all, this company used to be called MyGlam, now they're called Ipsy so I guess when I post future bags I'll just called it an Ipsy bag. I was pretty darn excited to get this bag because I always look up the hints they give out on Facebook and figure out what I'm getting, so here it is!

The bag the products came in

The wonderful products!

So the first product I received is by Mirenesse and it is a Lip Bomb that says it's a glossy lacquer stain. I'm pretty excited by this because I'm obsessed with lip glosses and this is a nice neutral nude pink-y color that seems like it will go nicely with my fair skintone. I don't see a name for the color, it just has the number 9 on the bottom.

Next I received the Be a Bombshell Eye Liner in the color Onyx. I'm not a big fan of liquid eye liners only because I don't have much experience with them. I've tried a different one before and my hand was so shaky putting it on, it looked like a 5 year old drew on my face. But I guess this product gives me more reason to try and experiment again.

This next product I was most excited to receive! It's from Coastal Scents and it's just four dime sized eyeshadows in the colors Rosy Pink, Gunmetal, Elven Silver and Light Pink. Now you can't see in the picture, but I was a little disappointed because the silver color was a little broken. It's like a piece of the top was scraped off somehow, but I'm okay with it now because it's only a tiny amount that was broken. These colors look sooooo pretty though! I love the rosy pink and gunmetal colors the most.

The next thing I got is a Pequi Oil Treatment that's for your hair to restore softness and shine. Now I've never tried a hair oil before so I'm not sure if I'll like this or not. My hair right now isn't dry or damaged and it's actually pretty fine so I always think oils will just weigh my hair down more. I'll still try this though just to see how it works. I might wait til it gets a lot colder because that's when my hair gets the driest.

The last thing I received is from theBalm Cosmetics and it's the What's Your Type? "the body builder" Mascara in just a regular black color. I'm pretty excited for this too because I love trying new mascaras and I've actually heard a lot of good things about this. 

I also got a little card with all the products names on it and extra discounts if I place an order with any of the brands from this bag.

Well that's my bag! Overall, I'm happy with it. Again, not the biggest fan of hair oils but I will definitely try it. I'm still so excited over the eyeshadows and mascara! I can't wait to try them! This is also by far my favorite beauty subscription service. I used to be subscribed to Birchbox but didn't like over half of the boxes I got, and I was with them for a little over a year. Oh well, Ipsy is really amazing in my opinion :)

What beauty subscription services do you like or recommend?