makeupbrush

Unboxing – Ipsy x 2 (February 2019)

Ipsy contains five sample sized products that are personalized based on your profile.  Products include beauty products with a heavy focus on makeup.  The subscription is $10 per month and you also have the option to add additional samples (for additional dollars) and shopping on their website gives you cash back. All together, very slick.

I actually get two Ipsy bags. I originally set up this structure to test out their profile algorithim and see if it really worked. The results have historically been mixed but I rarely get duplicate items (and when I do, they’re items I like). One bag is intended to be my “makeup” bag and the other is intended to be my “skincare” bag. That said, this month my “skincare” bag had no real skincare products.

Sign up using this link: https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=17c1pg

Time to stop yacking and start unbagging! I apologize for the whacky lighting on the photos – I couldn’t seem to get a sunny day for pictures! Don’t fear – my new lights are on the way from Amazon!

My “Makeup” Bag

Overall Bag Impressions: The bag screams Valentine’s Day and if it was red, rather than pink, I’d totally be on board. As my “makeup” bag, my profile for this account is focused on receiving makeup items. This month is pretty spot on, with the exception of the hair product (which was in both my bags even though I don’t have hair products marked). I really wasn’t wowed by ANY of the items in my bag this month. My favorite item is the No Pore Blem priming water.

Eyeko Lash Alert Mascara

This is by far one of my least favorite brands – I’ve yet to receive a product from them that performs well. This mascara fits right in the same category. I normally like curved wands, and maybe this is wonky because it’s a sample size, but in order to line up the curve to your lashes the straight part of the wand you have to hold it nearly against the skin of your temple. Or you have to be a contortionist. This is a nope.

Doucce Fierce & Fine Graphic Pen in Black

This eyeliner appears to have a fine but very flexible tip. Very dark black but haven’t tried it yet to determine its staying power. I thought I unmarked eyeliners in my Ipsy profile but maybe I did that AFTER the selection date. I know that sometimes you will still get those items you don’t have marked but I have a LOT of eyeliners.

Laritzy Lip Gloss in Curve

I received a bright red gloss from this company in a prior box (not Ipsy) and it was only so-so. It was very sticky and was very attracted to my long hair. Laritzy products are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly (per their own representation. Interesting note, the card from Ipsy suggests putting on a balm under the gloss, which I’ve never heard of doing before for a gloss product.

Marc Anthony Strengthening Grow Long Anti-Breakage Mask

This hair mask is designed to strengthen and improve the elasticity of hair strands. I prefer a good leave-in conditioner over a hair mask (because you have to get BACK in the shower to rinse out the mask) but I will give this a try. This winter the shafts and tips of my hair, especially in back, have been dry and prone to breaking, so maybe this will help. I did receive this in both of my bags.

Touch In Sol No Poreblem Priming Water

I just received the Touch in Sol No Poreblem Primer in my BoxyCharm so I was glad this was a slightly different product from Touch in Sol (priming water versus priming lotion). Touch in Sol is a Korean beauty brand and per Ipsy’s tip, a little bit goes a long way.

My “Skin Care” Bag

Overall Bag Impressions: This bag is so-so – as in better than my “makeup” bag but disappointed there are no skin care products. The powder foundation sample is super small and very cool toned for my skin. Lip treatment sample is also very small. Hopefully Ipsy doesn’t go the way of BirchBox by having teeny tiny unfunctional sample sizes. My favorite item is the Luxie brush.

MAC Studio Fixed Powder Foundation

This matte-finish powder foundation is supposed to give medium to full coverage and is buildable. Unfortunately, this sample is too small to even get me through one full coverage application. It’s also very yellow and warm.

Belle En Argent Lip Luire Lip Gloss

Wait – didn’t I just receive this lip gloss in a different shade literally LAST month? Since I subscribe to Ipsy to try new products and brands, receiving the same product two months in a row is off putting to me. Ok. That said, I do like the shade, I Love That Car. The gloss is made with jojoba and castor seed oils.

Hanalei Lip Treatment in Peach Pink

I love a nice hydrating lip treatment but this sample is teeny (and the tube is not full). This balm includes kukui oil, which itself includes vitamins A, C, and E. As I’ve mentioned previously, I frequently make my own clear lip glosses with vitamins, essential oils and cocoa and/or shea butter. So, I likely wouldn’t run out and re-buy this.

Luxie Precision Blending Eye Brush

I always love receiving a Luxie eye brush because they are great for blending and shading. This are vegan (and cruelty-free) brushes. The precision eye brush has a tapered head and I love using these for adding a darker shade to my outside corner or along the lash line.

Unboxing – Ipsy x 2 (January 2019)

Ipsy contains five sample sized products that are personalized based on your profile.  Products include beauty products with a heavy focus on makeup.  The subscription is $10 per month and you also have the option to add additional samples (for additional dollars) and shopping on their website gives you cash back. All together, very slick.

I actually get two Ipsy bags. I originally set up this structure to test out their profile algorithim and see if it really worked. The results have been mixed but I rarely get duplicate items (and when I do, they’re items I like). One bag is intended to be my “makeup” bag and the other is intended to be my skincare bag.

Sign up using this link: https://www.ipsy.com/new?cid=ppage_ref&sid=link&refer=17c1pg

Time to stop yacking and start unbagging! I apologize for the whacky lighting on the photos – I couldn’t seem to get a sunny day for pictures!

My “Makeup” Bag

Overall Bag Impressions: The bag (light blue and white stripes with pink piping) doesn’t really scream January to me but it is stylish. As my “makeup” bag, my profile for this account is focused on receiving makeup items. Usually it’s pretty spot on, however, this month I received a hair care item and nail polish, even though I’ve indicated in my profile I don’t want to receive these types of items. But, since this is a one-time issue, I’m not upset about the items. The nail polish is actually pretty cool but not my color. My favorite item is the Tarte foundation.

Ella Eden Eyeshadow

I received this eyeshadow in the shade “Julia” which is a shimmery light neutral. While I love the look of the eyeshadow, the color is lighter than what I usually wear. The other option you could have received was a burgundy crimson and that would have been perfect for me. But, this will still be nice for a shade to wear during the day to work since the shimmer is fairly subtle. I’ve never used or heard of this brand so I will need to test out the eyeshadow for blending, longevity and fall-out. I will let you know later what I think!

Pure Brazilian Leave-In Conditioner

This leave-in conditioner is designed to control frizz, flyaways and static. I love a good leave-in conditioner but it has to be lightweight and not weigh down my hair. That seems to be pretty hard to find and this appears to be a heavy cream that is applied in a mist. I will report back after I use it a few times.

Nailmedic Nail Polish in Rose and Chill

While I’m not terribly excited to receive nail polish (I rarely paint my nails, and when I do, it’s a dark red), the concept behind this polish is unique. The polish formula is infused with rosehip oil and green tea leaf extract, which is intended to result in strong and healthy nails. If I had received this in a darker color I would likely give it a try. One of my friends has already claimed this – she loves nude nail polish colors!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation

I was SO excited to receive this (in both the makeup and skincare bags) as I’ve been trying different foundation formulas recently. Long story short, I need a full coverage foundation that will hide (or at least not accentuate) my large pores. Also, I have some acne scars and redness that the foundation needs to cover. Ipsy matched my shade well (fair sand) too. This matte foundation from Tarte is designed to be long-wearing (12 hours) and has SPF 15. What is your favorite foundation formula?

Belle En Argent Lurie Lip Gloss in Bored Now

This is an ultra-glossy lip “gloss” with a lot of shine. I do like that it includes natural ingredients like jojoba and castor oil. Normally I love receiving lip glosses but this one is a bit lackluster. It really doesn’t have any tint to it but does leave behind a bit of sparkle. In reality I’ll use this more as a gloss topper over a matte lip.

My “Skin Care” Bag

Overall Bag Impressions: I’m pretty pleased with this bag, even though it has more makeup items than skin care items. I also received an eye brush, which I forgot to include in the above photo. I truly liked all five items in this bag and the mix of items so choosing a favorite is too hard. The liquid lipstick is in a color I love to wear and the sheet masks look fun! I know some people dislike receiving makeup brushes but I like building (and adding to) my collection. I use a lot of different colors of eyeshadow so having lots of eye brushes is helpful.

Jeju:En Face Mask Set

These masks are so fun! We received two masks and they’re both very usable despite being different from each other. One is called “You Can’t Handle This Sheet” and is infused with volcanic ash extract to absorb oil and tighten pores (this would be great for me). The other one is called “This Sheet is Bananas” and has hyaluronic acid to hydrate, plump and add radiance. I like using masks (sheet masks, clays, muds and peel masks) but haven’t heard of this brand before. After I’ve had a chance to use one I will definitely report back.

Hola Neon Velvet Liquid Lip in DF

Time to try out this new-to-me brand of liquid lipstick! This waterproof formula is specifically designed to be long-wearing and is supposed to be creamy and moisturizing. That seems to be a rare combination so I’m hopeful the claims ring true. I love love love this color – it’s something I would wear regularly. Here is a quick swatch – it’s a deep burgundy color.

I will report back after I wear it a few times.

Jersey Shore Cosmetics Star Mint Glossy Balm

I’m a big fan of peppermint and a fan of lip balms, so putting them together, while not innovative, results in a product I’m sure to like. The product description does say its infused with moisturizing ingredients like vitamine E and organic peppermint essential oil but doesn’t list other ingredients. As someone who makes lip balms for personal use I would like to know what constitutes the base of the balm (i.e. beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter).

Slmissglam Eye Brush

My friend also received this brush and said her young daughter claimed this brush as a “unicorn” brush. Apparently I’m a child at heart because I had the same thought. This eye brush is soft and I anticipate that it will be a great blending brush for the eye crease. Per the description, the bristles are synthetic. I’ve never seen this brush before so I will give it a try and report back.