March 2016 Ipsy Bag: Hello Spring

Hi everyone! I just got my Ipsy bag in the mail today, so I figured I'd take pictures while I still had enough light and share what I got! I was excited for my bag this month after looking at sneak peeks of what I would be receiving. So lets see what I got!

*Ipsy link is an affiliate code*

The theme this month is Hello Spring, and the bag I received is pretty, but not something I'd normally go for. I heard there were different colors to the bags being sent out, and mine is just meh. I'll probably end up giving it away. 

The first product I got is the Vera Mona Lotus Eyeshadow in the shade Clover. I'm sorry I didn't think to open it up and show the color, but it's a very pretty, shimmery peachy coral shade. It seems like a perfect color for Spring, and I can't wait to play with it!

Next up is the Marc Anthony Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco 3 Day Smooth Perfect Blow Dry Smoothing Cream. Dear lord, is that a mouthful! Anyway, I feel like I've gotten Marc Anthony products in the last few bags, so I'm a bit over it, but I will give this a go. It seems like I can use this as maybe a leave-in conditioner, so hopefully I'll like it. 

I was so excited to find out I would be receiving a NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick, and three different shades were sent out. I ended up with the ridiculous shade Pink Lust. I got so excited, I had to try it on right when I opened the bag, and I hate to report that I so don't like this at all! I look like a cartoon character with this on, and it's dry and flaky. It could be user error on my part, and I may have put on too much. I'll play around with this and report back. 

I had heard of the brand Me me me very briefly in the past, but had never tried anything from them. Getting brushes in my Ipsy bags always makes me happy, and I got their Loose Powder Brush. I don't know if it's just me, but this brush seems awfully small to be a powder brush. I'd probably use it for highlighting or setting concealer under my eyes. It is a very soft brush, and I'm happy to add it to my ever growing brush collection. 

The last product I received is the Pixi Beauty Blush Duo in Rose Gold. I've tried a few products from the Pixi brand and haven't been let down much. This duo looks so freaking beautiful and perfect for my skin tone. I haven't swatched it yet, but I cannot wait to play with it! 

That's everything I got! Other than the NYX product being a possible dud, I'm very happy once again with everything. If you want your own Ipsy glam bag, I'd love it if you used my referral link here! every month you receive 5 deluxe sized, and at times full sized products, for just $10 a month, plus shipping for some. These bags are usually pretty amazing, and I learn about new brands I had never heard of before. 

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

Fall Inspired Makeup feat. Colourpop La La

Hey everyone! As promised in my last post, which was a review of the Colourpop Shadow in La La, I'm bringing you a full makeup look inspired by the changing season. Fall is probably my favorite time of year. The weather is perfect, the leaves are pretty, and I always feel it's the time for a life change. Here is the look I did!

Face
-Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer
-Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet+ Foundation in shade #15
-Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser
-Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
-Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
-Essence Silky Touch Blush in shade 10 Adorable
-Pixi beauty Bronzer in shade Subtly Suntouched
-Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop

Lips
-Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in shades in Fig and Date
-Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in shade Pink (It's not very pink, more mauve-y)

Eyes
-Lorac Behind The Scenes Eye Shadow Primer
-Urban Decay Naked Palette: Naked in crease, Toasted in outer Corner and smudged on lower lash line
-Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in shade La La all over lid
-Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense in shade Intense Black Honey, smudged on upper and lower lashline
-Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara and Covergirl The Supersizer Mascara

Overall, I really, really love how this look turned out! I was considering going dark with the lip, but I decided to go neutral as I wanted the eyes to be sort of the focus. By the way, I'm LOVING the Mat Velvet+ foundation! Expect a review in the coming weeks.

Do you have a certain makeup look you like for Fall?

December 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hi guys! Today's post is going to be the very last Ipsy bag I receive this year! I honestly can't believe how fast this year went, and I know everyone and their dog says that. I swear time goes by faster, the older you get. Anyways, the theme of the bag this month is called Thinking of You. Lets see what I got!

I love the adorable little bag the products came in! It's so cute and I can definitely see myself carrying it around in my work bag or purse if I'm going out. 

The first product I received is the Swissco Electroplated Eyelash Curler. Now, I could've done without this as I don't need an eyelash curler, but this one seems alright. It does feel a little cheap when I'm holding it, but I have yet to try it on my lashes and see if it works well. 

Next up is the Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser. I love me a good cleanser and I was so excited when I saw I was getting this. Normally I don't like AHAs, I'm more a BHA girl, but this is only a cleanser, so I'm sure it will be fine. It smells nice and light too!

Then I received the PIXI Fairy Dust in the shade Brightening Bare. This is just a loose pigment that looks like it can be used as shadow or a cheekbone highlight. I am curious to try it and see if I like it. PIXI products haven't been my favorite honestly. 

Then we have the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in1 Mascara. I tried this mascara ages ago but I can't remember if I liked it or not. I was excited to see that I would be getting this so I can try it out again. It always gets good hype in the beauty world. 

The last product I received is the NYX Butter Lip Balm in the shade Parfait, which is the shade I was most interested in. I'm obsessed with NYX's butter glosses, but have not tried the balm version, so I'm pretty happy to be able to try this out. 

Overall, I'm very happy with this month's Ipsy bag! Instead of the lash curler, I probably would've preferred the eye cream that other people got. Oh well, I'm still happy and this month redeemed itself a bit for me. 

If you want to sign up and get your own Ipsy bag, I'd love if you used my referral link to sign up! It only costs $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get awesome products sent right to your doorstep every month. It's definitely been my favorite beauty subscription service. 

If you already get these bags, what did you think of yours?

October 2014 Empties

Hey everyone! I used up so many products in October, especially skincare, so I'm just gonna get right into it.

The first product I used up is the Colgate Optic White mouthwash. I thank everything that is holy this is used up. I hated this so much, it burned and didn't make my breath feel fresh at all. Hated this stuff!

The next product is a good one, and it's The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. This product smells like heaven. I swear everytime I use this in the shower, it makes my whole house smell like oranges. I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's shower gels and will always have one or two backups in my closet. 

Next up is a Hair, Skin & Nails supplement by Spring Valley. I like taking these supplements to help take care of my hair, but I notice a huge difference in the health of my nails the most. 

Then I have a small tube of L'Occitane Hand Cream. This hand cream contains 20% shea butter so it's ultra hydrating. I liked using this before bed so it could sink into my skin. My hands are really starting to dry out now, so I can already tell I'll be going through hand cream like crazy. 

I definitely used up quite a bit of skincare and the first product is the Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex moisturizer. This took me ages to use up because I used it at night and I did alternate between different moisturizers. This stuff is pretty heavy, but I didn't break out from it, which was nice. I did a review of it here and it was sent to me from iFabbo.

The next product I used up is the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner. I think I may have put this in a monthly favorites, but don't quote me. I did like this toner alot. It was very inexpensive and did feel good on my skin. I don't know if I'll repurchase only because I'm so attached to the Aloe Toner from The Body Shop. 

Next I used up the Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream Moisturizer. I don't like this stuff at all. It doesn't do anything for my skin and the scent is too overpowering for me. 

I've decided to throw away the Proactiv Mild Exfoliating Peel. I was going through my closet and saw this in there. I was actually going to use it then saw when it expired. In the trash it goes!

The last skincare product is the Own Firming Silk Concentrate. I did a review on this here, and now that it's all used up, I can say that I would not repurchase it. It was nice while it lasted. I mixed it into my night time moisturizer for extra hydration, but it did feel a little oily on my skin. 

I loved the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara. It lasted for close to a month and made my lashes look nice. All other mascaras pictured were drier than the Sahara so in the trash they go. The mascaras are Pop Beauty Smoky Lash Kapow!!! (yes, it really has 3 exclamation points at the end of the name), theBalm What's Your Type? "The Body Builder", Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash, Korres Provitamin B5 & Rice Bran, and two of the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes. All of those were just so dry and un-useable.

Now finally some makeup products! The first product is the Pixi Flawless & Poreless Primer. I didn't find this particularly amazing. I think it did help foundation/concealer go on a bit nicer, but it didn't really do much for my pores or oily skin. I do have another one of these to use up though.

I finally used up my Maybelline Age Rewind Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in the color Fair. I love this stuff so much and will always repurchase once I use up some other concealers. I think this is one of the best concealers for my dark circles. 

I also finally used up my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in the Translucent shade. This took me so long to use up since I don't use alot and mostly used it under my eyes. I love how fine this powder is and how it keeps my skin looking nice and shine free for a while.

I'm sad to say it's time to get rid of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge I've been using. It had started to get tears in it and little bits were coming off when I was using it. Even though this is way less expensive than the Beauty Blender, it doesn't hold up as well as the Beauty Blender. I've been using my Beauty Blender longer than I was using this Miracle Complexion Sponge and it's holding up so much better. 

I used up this tiny sample of the Chella Eyebrow Defining Gel that I received in an Ipsy bag. I actually did really like this. I don't do much with my eyebrows, so some gel to tame them a little is fine with me. 

The last product is the La Fresh Travel Lite Makeup Remover Wipes. This little package came in either an Ipsy bag or an old Birchbox. I used these because I couldn't find a large package of wipes and they kinda sucked to be honest. They didn't remove makeup well, so I mainly used them to clean up swatches. Even then they didn't clean well. 

What did you use up in October?

July 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! I got my Ipsy bag in the mail the other day, so it's time to share what I got! I was excited for this month when Ipsy posted sneak peeks on Facebook, but was slightly disappointed in the products I ended up receiving. This month's theme is called Sensationally Sunkissed so lets see what I got!

Now I love and hate the bag at the same time. I love it because it's a bright hot pink, my favorite color. I hate it because it's probably the cheapest feeling material I've ever felt in my life.  I mean seriously, the zipper is coming apart in one area and it feels so flimsy. Cute concept with the pink and scalloped edges, just cheap looking!

Onto the products! The first product I have here is the Purlisse Pur Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. I can definitely appreciate a sun care product that provides a good SPF but this is for normal to dry skin so I most definitely can't use it, especially in Summer. I can maybe save it for the dead of Winter when my skin is drier, but I'm not sure if it will work for me.

Next up is the Models Own Nail Polish in the color Red Sea. Honestly, I'm pretty tired of receiving nail polishes in these bags. I haven't done my nails in ages and I don't really care for polishes that have chunks of sparkle or glitter. 

Then we have the Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm in the color Unique Pink. I haven't tried this yet, but it smells just like peppermint tea, and I find myself sniffing it for longer than I probably should. I'm weird, I know. I'm curious about the tinted aspect of this because it just seems like a clear balm, so we'll see if it works!

Now we have the bareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow Broad Spectrum SF 15 and I think I got the color Barely Nude. Oy vey that's a long name for a product! I have to say though that this is a really tiny sample. Reminds me of the free samples they give out when you order something online. I will try this because I'm curious to see how it performs and because I like the bareMinerals brand. 

The last product is the Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment. I'm kinda terrified to use this because I took one whiff of this stuff and it smells like straight up alcohol! I know spot treatments are typically drying, but if something smells this strong of alcohol, I'm most likely not putting it anywhere near my face! I'm gonna have to research the ingredients in this more. 

Kind of a meh bag this month but Ipsy usually redeems itself if I don't like a bag. If you want an Ipsy bag yourself sign up here! It's only $10 a month, plus shipping for some, and you get 4 to 5 sample products in each bag!

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

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?

August 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey guys! I was so happy when I went to my parent's house yesterday and saw my Ipsy bag there! I hadn't even gotten a tracking code or anything until today and I saw that it was actually delivered on the 10th! I don't think I've ever gotten an Ipsy bag so early in the month before. Anyways, this month's theme is Glamour Academy. I'm guessing they named it that because it's almost back to school time. I'm incredibly happy with this month's bag, so lets see what I got!

The bag everything came in is cute, but I'm not the biggest fan of the crest. I love the purple with gold together though. It's a decent size too for traveling purposes.

Now for the actual products! When I found out we were getting a Michael Todd product, I was over the moon! I've been wanting to try Michael Todd products for a while now, and I received the Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask. We could've also received the Jojoba Charcoal Gentle Exfoliating Facial Scrub. I would've been happy with either one, but I love masks a little more personally. 

The next product I received is a Noya Lip Balm in a Cherry flavor. The other product I could've received is an Urban Decay Lipstick. Honestly, I much prefer lip balms over lipsticks anyway, so I'm very happy.

The next product is the Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black. I'm a bit tired of mascara samples now, but I'm still going to try this and see how I like it.

Next up is the MicaBeauty Eyeshadow in Bronze. I think this is such a beautiful color and it's super pigmented. I can't wait to try this over the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I think that's gonna look gorgeous!

The last product I received is the Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream. I was excited about this until I read some reviews. I read that it was shimmery, looks orange and doesn't blend well. Now I'm on the fence about this product. I'm not sure if this product was an either/or product, but looking at what else I could've received, I wish I got the NYX blush instead. 

Overall, I'm very pleased with this bag. Ipsy continues to be my favorite subscription service (and only subscription service I get!) and I don't see myself cancelling anytime soon! If you would like to sign up for Ipsy, feel free to use my referral link here. I don't get paid through this link, just an extra product in next month's bag if I get two people to sign up! :)

Also, please check out my giveaway for my one year blogiversary! It's running for 23 more days, so there's plenty of time to enter! It is for US residents only, so I apologize to my readers overseas :(

February 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hey everyone! It's that time of month again where I show you all what I received in my monthly Ipsy bag! I'm not the happiest with this months bag, but lets get into what I got!

The first thing I got were Lash Cards. Honestly, this product is useless for me. I'm not really sure why anyone would spend the money for something you don't get many uses out of and this is just really gimmicky to me. I don't have many problems putting on mascara, and if you do get mascara on your eyelids, you can use a q-tip to touch it up. It's alot cheaper that way.

Next I got the Pixi Flawless & Poreless Face Primer. I'm willing to give this primer a try since I'm still on the hunt for a good one, but I've already gotten a face primer in a previous box, and I do have other primers in my stash to use up.

Next I received the MicaBeauty Gel Eyeliner in the black color. I've never tried gel eyeliner before because I feel like it'll be awkward for me, plus I have really hooded eyelids so trying to do a winged look doesn't work out so well and I know gel eyeliner is typically good for winged looks. I might give it a try just to see how it works.

Then I got the POP Smokey Lash Kapow Mascara in the color Smoky Black. I've read some reviews on this mascara, and I keep reading that it smudges quite a bit, which isn't that appealing. I might try this with a lash primer first and see how it works. I already have so many mascara samples anyways, so I don't know when I'll give this a go.

The last product I received was a Coastal Scents quad in the golden color set. There was also a gray/black color set, which I kinda wish I got more. I don't know why, but I hate yellows with a passion. The color Sunbeam looks hideous to me, but I could maybe work with Golden Globe if I mix it with another color. I actually really like the Dark Golden Olive color because greens tend to look nice with my eyes. Dark Goldenrod is just kinda meh to be honest. It still has a yellow tone to it, but I can probably work with it.

Well that's everything! Not really impressed with this months bag. I really hope next month they include some skincare or makeup I'm actually interested in. I'm also not a fan of the actual bag the products came in. It's a major dust magnet!

If you're subscribed to Ipsy, did you like your bag?