April 2018 Ipsy Unbagging

Ipsy Glam Bags are really such a nice thing to receive each month! For just $10/month, you get a cute makeup bag filled with 5 beauty products. So whether you want to try new products or build on to your collection, Ipsy is a great choice if you are thinking about purchasing a beauty subscription. 

This month's bag is one of the most beautifully made bags I can remember receiving. The faux leather feels very luxurious, the rose gold accents are beautiful, and the butterfly print is so cute for spring. 

The first item in the bag is Feel's Restored Warming Clay Mask. To be honest, I have way too many face masks. So this will be sitting with other face masks that I have yet to use. This mask has white charcoal powder which gives a warming effect when applied to the skin. It also has Nigiri sea salt to gently detoxify and exfoliate. To top that it contains vitamin E and hydrating hyaluronic acid to help your skin look plump, toned, and radiant. When I go through some of my other face masks, I will definitely use this. 

The next item in the glam bag was Firma Beauty's #202 Angled Blender brush. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I absolutely LOVE getting makeup brushes in my subscription bags/boxes. And I love fluffy angled brushes like these because they are so multi-purpose. You can use to apply eyeshadow or contour your nose. It is also suggested to blend out your lip color, a tip I may have to try. 

Purlisse Beauty Coconut Oil + Coffee Sugar Body Scrub is another product in the glam bag. OH EM GEE does this scrub smell delicious! They were smart to send a smaller sample size because now I want to purchase the larger size, it smells THAT good. For my ladies (and gents!) with cellulite, coffee/caffeine is great to apply to assist with smoothing the skin. This scrub also has sugar cane which helps to gently exfoliate, and coconut oil helps moisturize the skin. Very yummy scrub, I would recommend. 

Ofra is a brand I've seen a few times before in my Ipsy bags. This time Ofra Cosmetics sent over their Blush in Chameleon. It's a brighter pink than it appears in this picture, but still a beautiful wearable shade. Ofra blushes are pigmented to a little goes a long way. It is velvety smooth and doesn't look powdery/cake-y on the skin. And a tip is to wet it before application to make the color pop even more. 

The last item in the bag, also a brand I've received before in beauty subscriptions is Realher Moisturizing Lipstick in Girl Power. Deep mauve shades have a special place in my heart, because they compliment my skin tone so well. But this is a universally flattering color so anyone could wear this and look good. I loved this little guy so much that I keep it in my purse in case I need to reapply a lip color throughout the day. So cute, such a high quality, I recommend. 

If I've convinced you to finally try Ipsy ($10 a month people!), feel free to use my link:
https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=xym9i

March 2018 Ipsy Unbagging

 

This was a fun bag to receive! March's theme is Create so the glam bag came along with some markers "so you can unleash your creativity all month long!" Mine arrive with pink and green markers, so I colored in one side pink and the other green. I forgot how much I love coloring, so this was a fun bonus.

The first item in the bag is City Color Cosmetics Glow Duo. This was my favorite item in the bag this month. One side is a pale cream highlight, and the other is a deeper champagne powder highlight. The cream highlight on it's own gives your skin a  "wet" look. And the other powder highlight on it's own give a soft natural glow. But both together are absolutely beautiful and that's how I prefer to wear them. 

The next item is this super cute SL41 Blusher Brush from SLMISSGLAM. I absolutely love when I can use brushes for more than one purpose, so I am very happy to add this to my collection. You can use for highlighting, blush, bronzing, and contouring. Multipurpose brushes, especially of this size are great for travel as well. I also am so glad the glitters on the handle don't come off so you don't need to worry about getting glitter all over your hands and face. 

This month I also received Labotica Transforming Liquid Foil Mask. It claims to brighten and firm up your skin, as well as remove dead skin cell and cleanse your pores. The mask is also formulated to calm inflammation (great for anyone with sensitive skin) and to boost collagen production. And because it is a peel off mask, it is so satisfying to remove.

Another product I loved receiving was this Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara in Carbon Black. My mascara routine is pretty involved, so I am extremely picky about what mascaras I use. I need them to make my lashes long, volumized, and defined. This helps achieve that. I get a ton of volume and definition from this mascara, and even more curl. My lashes are already curly to start off with, but someone with straighter lashes would enjoy this too. The formula claims to be infused with caffeine to help curl lashes, and also is infused with biotin to improve the health of lashes. I have noticed a difference for sure. My lashes aren't longer, but they do look fuller and more fluffy without mascara on. Of all the items that I've received this month, this one I would repurchase. 

The last item in March's Ipsy bag was Doucce Freematic Eyeshadow in Lola. I've received products from Doucce before, and even received a single eyeshadow from them as well. Their eyeshadows are nice. They don't last too long though, unless you have a budge-proof eye primer. Lola appeared more pink-y on my skin versus purple which was a little bit of a let down. Purple shadows look amazing with brown eyes, so I was hoping it would show up more of a vibrant purple like it claims. It's nice to use though for rosy looks, so it will still be used!

Even though it's only March, this month's glam bag is by far my favorite that I've received this year. And if you're not subscribed as well and I convinced you to give it a shot ($10 a month people!), I do have a referral link you are welcome to use: 
https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=xym9i 



March 2018 Sephora Play! Unboxing

Receiving beauty subscription boxes in the mail is like getting presents at Christmas for me. So of course I had to add another subscription, Play! by Sephora. For $10 a month, this box includes a beauty bag and 5 samples (of items that you can purchase full size at Sephora), a beauty bonus, an in-store pass for 50 Beauty Insider points, invite to Sephora Play! Day where you can go in-store and play with your products, and lastly online how-tos.  

***My own personal photos that I took of the items in the box have mysteriously disappeared! I don't like to upload photos of used items unless they make it into a monthly favorites post, so all pictures of March's Play! box are from Sephora.com. 

The first item is Bobbi Brown's Illuminating Moisture Balm. Full size runs for $68. Festival Season makeup looks are typically dewy, so this moisturizer is a good base to prep the skin. For my combination-oily skin, this is a no-go for my T-zone. It turned me into an oil slick there. But it works amazingly well on the rest of my face (cheeks, sides of forehead, jawline). I would use moisturizers like this under a mattifying foundation to avoid looking flat matte. I would highly recommend if your skin is normal to dry, and warn you to proceed with caution if you are combo-oily. 

The next item I absolutely fell in love with - Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Black. The full size liner retails for $22. I've heard a lot of rave reviews about this eyeliner, so I was excited to see this was in the box! It definitely lives up to the hype. This little guy is so pigmented and perfectly inky. I can get a wing sharp enough to cut you, and because of the felt tip - it's easy to achieve. What's also great, is the waterproof formula makes the liner stay put. No smudging or running, even after long wear time. Perfect for any outdoor festivals, or just warm weather in general. I highly recommend this eye liner if you're looking to try something new.

Another item in this month's box was IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm. This I am definitely repurchasing as soon as I run out of the sample. I've only used this twice after washing my hair, but it makes the BIGGEST difference. It claims to work for every hair type. My hair is naturally curly and coarse so if it works on my hair, I'm sure it would work on pretty much everyone else's too. The balm also has claims of adding dramatic softness and shine, and I completely agree. I don't remember the last time my hair felt so silky. The full size tube runs for $29, and I believe it is worth every penny. This is my favorite find from the box so far.

The next product is SUPERGOOP! Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 50, which retails for $28. I have mixed feelings about this product simply because the spray nozzle arrived broken. At first I thought that the mist was coming out a bit too strong, a stream rather than a mist. So that turned me off. After another use, the nozzle completely separated from the spring inside. Being that this mist claims to control oil, I was looking forward to testing that out. I don't have any old setting spray bottles to pour this in, so I might just pick up one from the dollar store. But from what I could feel when I was trying to fix the nozzle, the formula seems almost greasy. I wish I had a better review but that's what happens when products arrived broken. 

Sephora Play! also includes a bonus item each month. This time it is a sample of Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask. The full size tub is $28. My hair needs a lot more product than this, especially considering this is a deep conditioning mask. So I have mixed feelings on this product as well because I wasn't able to put it to the test the way I would prefer. It's a blessing and a curse getting sample sizes. You might luck out and fall in love with something, but if there's not enough product, or it's defective in how it dispenses, you aren't able to give it the love it deserves. 

Overall I am pleased with Play! by Sephora and will stay subscribed. I signed up for this one with the thought of being able to test out more skin/haircare products compared to Ipsy or Boxycharm. And for the most part, this subscription is serving that purpose. If it doesn't work out, there are other boxes to try, but for now Play! stays.

February 2018 Ipsy Unbagging

I absolutely love beauty subscriptions! Especially if you are trying to not spend too much on makeup, they are the perfect solution. With Ipsy you get a cute makeup bag and 5 beauty products for just $10 a month. February's bag was pretty impressive! And the blush pink bag with a lace trim is very in-theme for Valentine's day. 

The first item I got was Pur's Mini Fully Charged Mascara. I am very picky about mascaras that I use because my eyelash routine is pretty involved. And this mascara is just OK. I prefer my mascaras to be waterproof (helps longevity if you're oily like me), and to give a very dramatic effect. This just didn't give me enough oomph. I'm not sure if it's the formula or the wand, but it's just an average mascara to me. If you like a softer look on your lashes though, I would recommend giving it a try.

The next item in the bag was Marsk's Loose Eyeshadow in Foiled Again. The color is a stunning silver. Perfect for any dramatic eye look, smokey eye/cut crease/etc. The color payoff is great. The only thing to look out for when using this is fallout. Any loose pigment will have this problem, so I don't count it against this particular eyeshadow. Just do your eyes first, wipe away any fallout, finish the rest of your face and you're good to go!

My favorite product from February's bag is definitely this Baked Highlighter in Electra made by Luna by Luna Cosmetics. I could see this working for so many other skin tones, it is so versatile. The formula is perfect, it's not too intense where any texture is emphasized. It looks almost wet, which is great considering it's a baked powder, not a liquid. This highlight is STUN-NING so I would highly recommend.

My second favorite item from this month's bag is the Blending and Shading Eye Brush (No. 249) from Luxie. Luxie is in a number of beauty subscriptions and I recieve brushes from them often, which is awesome if you are trying to build your brush collection. The 249 brush is probably my favorite dual-sided brush ever! I use this thing nearly every day. I'm the type to only use a couple brushes when doing my makeup, so if it is multi-purpose I love it even more. If you use a lot of brushes, I still think you would like this if you are travelling since it's pretty convenient to use.

 
The last item in the bag is Naked Cosmetic's Vanilla Creme Lip Scrub. I love lip scrubs! So I was happy to get this at first. But the smell is off-putting. It smells almost chemical-ly. And when using it, it's not gritty enough to lift dead skin off the lips. I think it's because it's formulated with a bit too much balm. For those with lips that get irritated easily, this might be a good thing if other scrubs are too harsh. For me, I need the grit.

If you are expanding your makeup collection or just experimenting with new beauty products you wouldn't choose for yourself, Ipsy is one of the most cost effective options out there. And they make it easy to review products so future bags are better curated according to your likes and dislikes. 
I do have a referral link if you are interested in signing up: https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=xym9i. 

Makeup Trends Getting Left Behind In 2017

2017 has taught me SO much about  makeup application and what formulas make a good product. YouTube and Instagram are where I find most of my inspiration. And ever since Instagram became super popular and a huge influence on the beauty industry, each recent year has had obvious trends in makeup. 

So here’s what I’m retiring in 2018:


(Photo: stylecaster.com) 

“Instagram Brows”
I am so bored of seeing the dark, boxy, angled brows that Instagram beauty junkies made famous. Are they fun for photos and dramatic looks? Sure. But they’re too overdone for my taste, and I love something softer. I’ve pretty much left my brow pomades to collect dust, as pomades give that dark sharp look. Pencils and brow powders have been my go-tos for a soft feathery brow. I want a more natural looking brow, so Buh Bye Insta-brows!



(Photo: gragemood.com)

“Full Cake”
If it’s heavy and full coverage, it’s probably being left in 2017. Instagram makeup is again to blame for flawless, artificial looking skin. I want to see some flaws, some freckles. I want my skin to look like skin, not necessarily like I’m wearing makeup. Dewy sheer-to-medium coverage foundations have my name on them. The “no makeup” makeup look is beautiful to me so full cakey foundation has to go. 



(Photo: zimbio.com)

“Super Bright Concealer” 
All over social media, especially YouTube, super bright concealers are the expectation. The reality is, it doesn’t look natural and it doesn’t photograph well. Ask any makeup artist: under-eye concealer should be 1-2, MAYBE 3 shades lighter than your skin tone. I’m seeing concealer applied that’s like 5 shades lighter! It looks cakey and dry, and it looks harsh. That look can stay in 2017. 



(Photo: becomegorgeous.com)

“Contouring”
Contouring can definitely stay in 2018, my face is round - I need it lol.  But the technique of layering on a dark stripe of powdery cool-toned contour should be buried. Now, cool-toned contours work for more fair or more deep skin tones than mine. But for my Medium-Deep skin, a warm (but not orange) contour is the most flattering and it doesn’t look muddy. I also find that cream contours look wayyy better than powder. I want my face slimmed, but not chiseled - so a warm cream contour will give it to me.



(Photo: ulta.com)

“Whispy Falsies”
Ardell Wispies and Demi Wispies had their moment, but it’s on to better things this next year. And that’s Faux Mink lashes. If you’re a falsies fiend like I am, you KNOW how essential they are to completing a makeup look. I am obsessed with how natural and comfortable Faux Mink lashes are. And because the band is thin (not “invisible” but thin) brands really get to be creative with different lengths and styles while still having the lash look pretty natural. My favorites right now are Ardell 811’s and Flutter Lashes Air Light Collection. 



(Photo: seventeen.com)

“Matte Liquid Lipstick”
2015 & 2016 were the years of the dry-matte liquid lips. Liquid lipsticks were revolutionary back then because they literally stayed on all day and didn’t transfer. But the drawback was we were left with parched cracked lips. Even though formulas have really improved, I was never the biggest fan, I usually stuck to a matte cream lipstick because it’s more comfortable. All around I can tell the beauty community is bored with matte lips, and glosses are making a huge comeback! I’ve always been a gloss girl, and I’m so happy juicy glossy lips are here again. 



(Photo: dailyrecord.co.uk)

“Baking”
The trend is a trick drag queens have been doing forever, but baking the under-eye with powder was a huge mainstream thing in 2016 & 2017. It’s a technique that’s used to prevent concealer (or foundation really) from creasing and helps it last all day. Maybe it’s because my eyes are big and I have the bags to match some days, but baking left my under-eyes very very powdery looking. I still set my concealer with a powder but I do a light sweep, instead of literally caking on powder, and it works just fine. Baking done wrong gives you the “raccoon” look and causes a white-cast in photos. So this technique isn’t joining me in 2018.



(Photo: glamourpage.com)

“Color Correcting”
This is another technique used by makeup artists since forever but got weirdly popular over the past year. If you’re like me and your skin tone is pretty even and your acne is minimal, you don’t need this step. Color correcting is for those with prominent discoloration, acne blemishes or scars, and dark circles or dark spots. If foundation and/or spot concealing hides any skin problems, you don’t need to color correct. If you feel you need it, by all means. But those with clearer skin don’t really benefit from this technique. 



(Photo: popsugar.com)

“Claws”
I hate long nails, always have. So in 2018 you’ll find me with short to medium length nails. Long claws is more of a Twitter trend than anything but it’s one I’m leaving alone. I am very rough on my hands so I just can’t be bothered about losing or chipping a nail. With that, unless I’m wearing (short) acrylics - I’m over nail art. Not much is original anymore so you’ll catch me in solid colors. 



(Still from An Knook video on YouTube)

“Harsh Eyes”
I’ll be the first to say, I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed with all the cut-creases, glitter eyeliner and halo eyes on social media right now. They’re relatively easy to achieve, but these eye trends are allll I’m seeing lately. That’s not to say I won’t be rocking these looks in 2018, but I have a feeling I’ll get sick of looking at them really fast. I’ve been drawn to “reinventing” the smokey eye. With all the warm toned and colorful eyeshadow palettes coming out, it’s fun to see a classic look done in new colors. But for day-to-day you won’t see me wearing an intense Insta-eye, I’ll be wearing something softer and more smoked out. 


A lot is being left in 2017 but trends are always changing so I’m sure everything will eventually be replaced. What makeup looks are you leaving in 2017, and what are you looking forward to seeing in 2108? 

Kyle Cosmetics | Haul

I'm pretty excited about this post, ladies and gents. I finally got my hands on the Royal Peach Palette by Kylie Cosmetics!

 The first thing at the top of the box was this cute insert with a sweet note on the back and Kylie's eyes (they wink!) on the other side.

The Royal Peach palette comes in a bomb case with Kylie's eyes on the front. Her eyeshadow look is too cool, and it's awesome that it can be re-created with the shadows in her palette.

So the eyeshadow palette itself is white with KYLIE on the front in a rose-gold chrome. 

Can we all just take a moment to admire these shadows? Kylie did a great job picking these out and formulating them. The shimmers feel uber creamy and the matte shadows are super blendable. The palette also has a huge mirror which is an improvement from her previous eyeshadow palettes (she hears us, guys!).

Also included in the palette is a medium-sized tapered blending brush. If you had no other brushes accessible to you, this could still do the job. This is another improvement from her Burgundy and Bronze palettes as they do not come with a brush. The Royal Peach palette (as I'm typing this post) is currently out of stock. But K.C. frequently restocks and keeps you updated on social media. If you can catch it before it sells out, the Royal Peach palette retails for $45.

From Top to Bottom: Royal, Peachy, Sandy, and Sorbet. All of these shadows are matte.

From Top to Bottom: North Star, Mojito, Seashell, and Duchess. These shades are all shimmers.

From Top to Bottom: Cinnamon, Duke, Queen Bee, and Crush. Cinnamon is a matte, Duke is a satin, Queen Bee is a shimmer, and Crush is a satin.

The next items I picked up were some glosses. I have a post up on another Kylie gloss if you want to check that out. I didn't ever have any problems with the hairs of the brush, and I think Kylie makes one of the best lip gloss formulas on the market. Each gloss retails for $15 each.

From Left to Right: Candy K, Damn Gina, Posie K glosses. I own Literally gloss, and instantly fell in love. I've been meaning to pick up Posie K and Candy K gloss since they came out. I figured now is a good time to grab them all since the KoKo collection is being sold as singles. I saw Damn Gina gloss and was obsessed. It's a given I purchased once it was available on it's own.

Kylie Cosmetics has a ton of matte lippies, in lip kits and singles. But I personally am over the matte lip trend. I am an avid lover of gloss and creaminess so I'm happy to have these lil babies in my collection. Damn Gina has a lot more sparkle/glitter than I was able to capture in photo so please keep that in mind. I highly highly HIGHLY recommend them all.

I am so pleased with my purchase and will be buying from Kylie Cosmetics in the future. My next goal is to score one (or a few) of Kylie's new highlighters she released. Kylie Cosmetics is a great brand and I have yet to be disappointed, so I think Kylie and her cosmetics deserve all the hype they get.