Ipsy | November Unbagging

I haven't really been impressed with Ipsy, but I haven't had enough bags to really axe it just yet. Jessica cancelled her subscription after three bags, so I figured I'd give it one more month and see if there are any redeeming products.

The one thing I hate about Ipsy is that there isn't a card to tell you what the products are and how much they cost like Birchbox does. In order to do these posts I have to look online and see what items where in my bag. I did look at the other samples and saw things I would have liked instead of these items, such as: Laura Mercier powder and fan brush, GlamGlow Powermud, IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye, and the Tarte Maracujua Oil.

Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray: I haven't used hairspray in I can't tell you how long. However, I already had a hairspray that worked just fine. I don't understand their brands. Marc Anthony? Like Jennifer Lopez's husband Marc Anthony? The singer? He makes hairspray? Sure. Maybe I'll try it after my hair grows out past the ponytail only stage.

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in Submissive: This is actually the only thing I've used from my Ipsy bag. This is sort of like a paint pot, but it isn't as good. The color is nice, but it's sheer. All I do is rub my finger in the product and smooth it over my eyelid. It has so so staying power and isn't something I would purchase for myself.

Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in Ultra Orchid: Can I just say thank GOD I didn't get this in the olive color that Jessica received in two different boxes? Thank God. I haven't even unwrapped this because I wasn't feeling like using a second eyeliner, but I'm sure this will be just okay. If it does suck, I'm sure I'll mention it again.

TEMPTU S/B Highlighter in Pink Pearl: I've only heard of Temptu through YouTube back when xSparkage used an airbrush machine. I think Jessica also received one of these a couple months ago, but I don't know if she used it. I'm not a huge liquid highlighter fan. I even have a Benefit Highbeam that I always consider using but just don't. The color looks exactly like my MAC Strobe Cream, so I will consider actually using it at some point.

Love & Beauty by Forever 21 Crème Lipstick in Berry: Sure. At least it isn't a sample size lipstick? The color is actually something I would actually wear, but I haven't done more than open it to see what it looks like. Maybe it's the fact that it's a Forever 21 lipstick? I don't know.

Anyway, this month was okay and the most irritating this was the fact that the goddamn hairspray was sticking out of my bag! Jesus Christ, Ipsy. How does something like this even happen? The bag wasn't even half sealed. I'm surprised this even made it to my mailbox with the hairspray intact.

Birchbox | November Unboxing

Okay, yes. I'm behind when it comes to subscription boxes this month. I don't know why. I think it's because I wasn't all that jazzed with either of them this month. Anyway...

Eyeko Eye Stick in Satin Taupe: I will probably never use this. I tried it on my eyelids and it was just okay. Meh.

Fekkai PrX Reparatives Intense Fortifying Masque: I'm actually surprised that I haven't used this. I think it was the first item that I was excited about in the box. I think it's because after I took the pictures, the box shifted to my table. I'm going to try using the masque at some point this week.

Perlier Absolite Comfort Body Butter - White Almond: I was carrying this cream around in my bag until I tossed everything back in the box to take this picture. I like that it has a soft almond smell that isn't too strong. I was considering getting a full size with my 20% coupon, but I like the sample packaging better and have so many creams anyway.

Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 40 in Fair to Light: I love this CC Cream. The sample is maddeningly small, though. I decided I was going to purchase the full size because I had a coupon to use on the Birchbox site and I wanted something that played well with my MAC Face and Body Foundation, which this does. I've only used it a handful of times, but this has been a home run for me.

Tocca Eau de Parfum - Florence: This isn't really my cup of tea, but if I just use one spray it isn't too much. I feel like if I spray it on my pants that it doesn't linger around too heavily so I don't have to feel like I'm wearing too much. Perfume samples just aren't my favorite because I'm really picky when it comes to scents.

The wins for this month were definitely the Supergoop! CC Cream, the Perlier Almond cream, and the Fekkai masque that I need to use. It was also nice to get the bonus of the chocolate almond butter, but I don't know what I'm going to do with that, to be honest.

Review and Swatches | Geek Chic Cosmetics - "Big Damn Heroes" Collection

From Top to Bottom: Little Albatross, Ambassador, Very Fine Hat, Inevitable Betrayal, Captain Tightpants

Yes, I've had these for years. No, I don't care, because damn, they're still relevant, and damn, they're still pretty. It's so hard not to buy literally everything on Geek Chic Cosmetics, but I have to stop myself. First, because I don't have the money to buy things, but second, because THEY'RE ALL SO FREAKING PRETTY. I purchased these five samples a few years ago and I use them every now and then, and they're still hanging around. So, that's definitely a plus. For $1.25, that's a huge win.

Second, I'm not huge on glitter, normally. But these colors are beautiful. I use Captain Tightpants quite often, and I used Ambassador combined with Captain Tightpants the other day. I also love LOVE LOVE Little Albatross. I haven't used it in FOREVER, but look at that beautiful color. I will also say the pigmentation on these is great. Yeah, I didn't quite swatch them evenly, but the swatches are true to color in real life generally. I like that there are some dark colors and some bright colors, and most of them are usable every day.

I will add that these shadows are cruelty free, gluten-free, and vegan. Which is also a plus. I'm really trying to incorporate more cruelty free products into my routine, and it's nice to know that these geeky-fun shadows fit that description.

My wish list for this company keeps getting bigger. I saw recently that they have sets inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy, Harry Potter, The Princess Bride, The Hunger Games, Doctor Who, and Game of Thrones. They also have a Walking Dead collection. Ages ago, I also bought the 8-bit D&D collection, which is no longer for sale.

The only thing, again, is that I wish they weren't all so damn GLITTERY. But, I will say that the glitter has never been a problem for me. It's not like I have glitter on my eyelashes or anything by the end of the day.

So overall, I'm really pleased with these! I hope to buy more from GCC in the future; it's just that I'm broker than broke, unfortunately. But, when I make some money, you bet I'll go on a spending spree!

Recent Collective Haul - October/November

I have some things that I've purchased over the last month or so that have collected enough to do a haul post. I just want to preface this post by saying that I definitely went overboard with the NARS blush palettes. I set out to purchase one of the past three, the one pictured here, and the brand new one, also pictured here. But I did end up buying the other two past palettes because I got them for a good deal on facebook. Those aren't pictured because I think I'll do just a post comparing all my NARS blush palettes and I had already taken the pictures for this post.

I'm also probably not going to go into great detail because a few things are going to be included in my favorites post and I'm planning on doing a hauled it but how was it? type post.

I've been blush crazy lately, so that's why all the blush. These are also the last two bronzers that I plan on buying, because unlike blush, they're all pretty much the same. I found that the Estée Lauder one is a bit too dark and orange toned for the winter, so that is getting pushed aside. The Vincent Longo bronzer is perfect for the winter because it isn't too dark and bronze, which is what I'm looking for.

This is the NARS blush palette from Nordstrom, the Joie De Vivre limited edition from a couple years back. I originally wanted the Guy Bourdin one more, last year's release, but found this one first. I will seriously never need to buy a full size NARS blush or bronzer with all these palettes.

These are my Tarte blushes in Fearless, the purple one, and Achiote, the top one. I haven't really worn Fearless because it's so dark. Maybe soon!

I got these two Sigma brushes for a fantastic deal on facebook. I rotate my F50 blush brushes now and I really like this F30 powder brush to blend out my blush and bronzer.

I picked up two more NYX matte lipsticks in Pure Red and Whipped Caviar and got free shipping on Ulta by finally buying this Urban Decay sharpener everyone raves about.

I also bought one lipstick from MAC's holiday collection in Salon Rouge. I haven't worn it or the NYX lipsticks yet.

Everyone keeps comparing the Mario Badescu Rose Water spray to MAC Fix+, so I decided to give it a go. I haven't used a spray since the summer though, so this might sit for a while longer.

I stopped into Bath and Body Works for the first time in ages and bought these two lotions, which I've been using all month. I would consider purchasing other scents, but I have a Cocoa Pink haul to do and I bought six or seven body butters so I definitely don't need any more of those.

I bought two heads for my Clarisonic because I needed to change those out. One is for normal skin and the other is acne prone skin and I've been rotating them.

I also bought another Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle because it was half off on Ulta and I knew I'd need another one at some point.

Little Clinique haul included here. Nordstrom was doing 10% off a ton off high end brands either early November or late October and I thought that was the perfect time to buy a full size of the Moisture Surge. I should have bought that Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick I was lusting over, but that was $40 and I decided to spend wisely and get some Clinique Acne Solutions instead because my skin had been freaking out.

I still want that Shimmer Brick.

The Repairwear Laser minis were a gift with purchase and I have yet to use those.

These goodies are my latest. I talked about the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask in my favorites last month and I recently bought the scrub because I liked the mask so much.

I bought another Smashbox Photofinish Primer because I'm almost out of my mini. It was on sale for 20% during Beauty.com's friends and family sale.

I also picked up that NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette because I found it new for almost $20 off the original price on Facebook. I was going back and forth about getting it, but who was I kidding? I was going to kick myself for not getting it at $50 and wanting to pay like $80 in a few months.

Then also from Beauty.com, I finally bought the NARS Ita brush! I've wanted this for the longest time, but didn't want to pay the $50 for it. So I waited for a 20% off sale and nabbed it.

Then probably one of the most exciting things I've hauled this month: beautyblender! I've always wanted to try a Beauty Blender, but I had bought a few Real Techniques sponges that I enjoyed for a while. My last order had some really weird sponges in there though and it jacked up my makeup to the point where I spent more time fixing it then actually applying it. So I decided to spend the money on the real deal. I do prefer beautyblender to Real Techniques, but I wouldn't pay the full price! I liked getting 20% off so that they were only $23 for the pair.


Whew. That's it for now! I have a couple separate hauls I wanted to do because it's a bunch of things from one brand. I'm sure the random couple things I buy until next month will collect enough to do another post eventually. After all, cyber Monday is soon and I'd rather buy things at 20% off, especially when I'm going to buy them anyway.

Empties #2! Products I've Used Up + Review

I've been hoarding my trash for way too long and I have even more empties than last time. I've been working through quite a few of these for some time now and I'm surprised it took me so long to finish off some of these products. Again, most of the products I have are skincare because it's easier to plow through those than a blush or powder.

Tony Moly Latte Art Milk-Cacao Pore Pack: I think this was actually one of my first Korean skincare purchases. As you can see, it's a cup! The little spoon sticking out of the top is actually a spatula and this smells so so good. It's one of those hardening masks and it makes your pores look smaller. Would I repurchase? I actually already had a backup ready and waiting that I haven't cracked into yet because I bought the Queen Helene mask.

My Beauty Diary Aloe Amino Acid Cleanser: I bought this cleanser thinking it was just like the Strawberry Yogurt one from the same brand. It is similar, but it lacks the exfoliating property that the Strawberry Yogurt one has. It was moisturising and I did like using this, but it fell to the back burner most of the time because it wasn't my favorite. Would I repurchase? Nah. I'll buy the Strawberry Yogurt one over and over. I'm already on my second tub of that and I prefer it hands down to the Aloe one.

Baviphat White Grape Lifting Yogurt Cleansing Foam: I raved about this in my favorites post, so I feel like there's not a whole lot more to say about this cleanser. It's creamy and it foams up nicely and I really liked pairing it with my Clarisonic. Would I repurchase? I absolutely will in the future, if I can find it. I had to buy this from a Korean seller on eBay and I'm taking a break from eBay for right now. I also just bought a bunch of cleansers and I want to use them up first.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel: I got this in a gift with purchase package from Nordstrom a few months ago. I took this with me on vacation because I didn't want to bring a large cleanser like my Baviphat one. I liked this, but it really threw me off that it doesn't foam or anything. It also doesn't remove makeup. Would I repurchase? I have two other Mario Badescu cleansers that I like better and I've recently purchased other cleansers, so I probably wouldn't repurchase.

Etude House Collagen Moistfull Enriched Cream: This came in the Collagen Moistfull set with a few other pieces that I've yet to use up. I did like the texture of this cream and it was easy to use it up. This was just something that I would put on my face at night when I had time to add other products into my routine. Would I repurchase? I don't think I'll get a full size because it's on the pricey side. I might consider getting another set after I use up the rest of the products.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Relief: I also talked about this in my past favorites post. I use this as my last moisturizer in the morning and it helps everything else sink into my skin and doesn't leave me greasy, so I can put on primer quickly if I need to get ready. Would I repurchase? I recently bought the 2oz size when Nordstrom had a bunch of products 10% off. I'll probably never need to buy this again.

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander Ultra Moisturising Hand Therapy: This was another thing I got in a gift with purchase from Nordstrom. It was also the lotion that got me to buy a six scent variety box of the Hand Therapy lotions. These are nice and small and fit in my makeup bag and are also moisturising. Would I repurchase? I have six more tubes, just not in this scent, so I won't be buying anymore in the near future, but I would consider it.

Cocoa Pink Junket Creme Conditioner in Vanille Apricot: I got this conditioner in my last Cocoa Pink order and it was before we moved, so it got lost in a box. I was so excited to find this and use it finally. This is probably one of the best deep conditioners that I've ever used. The scent was nice, but it wasn't something I would personally pick out. Would I repurchase? I just bought a full size during the Cocoa Pink sale in a fall scent. I can't wait to finally get my order and use it!

Paintbox Soapworks Little Paper Umbrellas Hand & Body Lotion: I've had this little lotion for over a year. I made it a small goal to start using up some of my half empty lotions so I can buy more. This was a summer scent and I really love it. I have this scent in a scrub that I can start using when I'm done with the one that's in my shower. This is the smaller size for the lotion, so it's nice for travel. I wish I got my other scents in this size because it's so difficult to use up a big lotion. Would I repurchase? Probably, if the scent comes back again next year. I won't be buying any lotions any time soon because I have all the winter scents I need.

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser: I got this in my October Birchbox and it was such a tiny sample that I used it up after three times. I liked it, but it smelled too lemony so I felt like I was washing my face with lemon scented Damn kitchen soap. It was nice and scrubby, though. Would I repurchase? Maybe, but I think it was like $30, so I think that's a general deal breaker. Too much for a scrub when I love my Paintbox Soapworks one.

Epically Epic Soap Co. Mango Lychee Lip Balm: I've also been trying to work through my huge collection of lip balms. I really like the Epically Epic balms because they're so creamy and moisturizing. This scent is really nice too. Would I repurchase? No. I have too many lip balms and I can't buy any more! I have four or five more Epically Epic ones to use up first anyway!

MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash: I bought this in I think June, so this really needed to retire. I pretty much stopped using it in October when I realized how old this mascara was. This was seriously a great mascara and I really liked it, despite the fact that I don't usually like MAC mascaras. Would I repurchase? Not any time soon because I have I think four or five mascara samples I need to go through first. But I would consider it.

Fresh Black Tea Age Delay Cream: I don't remember much about this cream other than I was sad to see it go and ever sadder to see how much money it cost for a full size. Would I repurchase? Probably not. It's too much money for something I'm not sure I'll completely love.

NARS Radiance Enhancing Pro-Prime Light Optimizing Primer: I like NARS products, but I'm not too sure about this primer. It isn't the texture I prefer in a primer. I definitely like the Smashbox one better because it's a silicone based primer. Would I repurchase? No. Too much money for a primer and I don't like the texture.

Inglot Under Makeup Base: I found this while cleaning up some makeup things and remembered that I really liked it once upon a time. I ended up using it twice and not liking it as much as I thought, but that could be because this sample has been hanging around for a long time. Would I repurchase? I don't think so. I like the Smashbox one best right now, so I think I'll stick with it.

Caudalíe Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting: I got this in my September Birchbox, I think. This was such a tiny sample, but it ended up lasting a decent amount of time. I did like it, but I didn't have enough in the sample to see if it really made a difference. Would I repurchase? Nope! This costs like $50, maybe more. I already have serums that I like so I can't warrant the purchase.

Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Retinol Wrinkle Corrector: This has been hanging around since the last Missha holiday sale. It was almost gone when I rediscovered it while I waiting for my normal retinol to come in the mail. I do like it, but it was such a pain to get out of the tube from the get-go. Would I repurchase? Probably not. It was a pain to get out of the tube and I already have a retinol that I usually use nightly.

Subscription Addiction | October Ipsy

Yes, that is a stock photo. No, I didn't feel like going to find my October ipsy bag to take a picture of it. I will say that the bag is really cute and functional. It's like this plastic-y quilted bag, but it's not icky feeling. If that makes any sense whatsoever. ONWARD.

Product #1: Ayres Patagonia Body Butter
It smells good. I haven't tried it yet, but it smells really good! I'm excited to start using it. My boyfriend almost stole it from me because it said "Patagonia" on it. No, it is not a coat in a tiny jar. I'll probably use this on my rough patches on my elbows from doing my planks when I work out. Ridiculous.

Product #2: Epice International Purifying Exfoliant
This is a pretty good product. I use it when I stay at my boyfriend's place, since I got two cleansers in a month between my subscription boxes. It is a really good exfoliator; it doesn't leave me feeling dry or anything like that. And it doesn't smell gross, either.

Product #3: ModelCo VolumEYES mascara
Again with the ModelCo mascara. It will sit in my makeup kit until I'm finished with the other one I'm working on. I don't know why two subscription boxes decided to go with the magical MODELCO mascara, but I am mascara-ed out. So. Time to move on, boxes!


Product #4: Nicole By OPI Nail Polish
This was a pretty gold color for the holidays. I'll probably use it at some point now that CHRISTMAS is closer. Christmas is my jam, you guys. I love it. I haven't tried it yet, but it's really pretty and doesn't seem too glitter-dense.

Product #5: Noyah liptstick
I was a little disappointed with the size of this. It's so TINY. Like... is it even useful if it's that tiny? The actual lipstick was smaller than my pinky nail, and the tube was smaller than my pinky finger (about half the size). Really really disappointed in that. But the color is pretty, it's kind of a mauve-y purple. I'll give it a shot. Well, more like I'll use it once and include it in an empties, because it's so small.

I'm glad I canceled Ipsy. Honestly, it seems like something I could get in Birchbox if I really wanted to. I like Birchbox a ton better, so it makes sense to stick with just one.

Favorites and Flops: October 2014

I've already delayed this post long enough, so forget rounding all of the items up to get a picture. Not worth the effort. However, I will say that I had way more favorites than flops this month, and it's exciting!

Favorites:

Hands of Hope: Philosophy
This stuff is amazing. It helps my cuticles, and my always-appearing hangnails. I forget to use it sometimes, but when I don't use it, I can tell! My mom gave me this stuff last Christmas, and I finally started to use it. It is the bee's knees.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
I got this in a Smashbox Starter Kit with Birchbox points, and I love it. I will eventually purchase the full size, when I'm not poor and broke and on a Project Pan makeup hiatus. My birthday is now less than a month away, so who knows what's in store?

It's a 10 Miracle Leave in Product
I am going to cry a river of tears when my sample of this runs out. I found out they sell it at my local grocery store (by that I mean, the one a tenth of a mile from my apartment) which is both good and bad. Good, in that the price MAY be more reasonable than at Ulta. Bad, in that it's so accessible and tempting. But this sample has lasted me an age, and to be honest, a huge-ass bottle will probably last me a century.

Neutrogena Moisturesmooth Color Stick in Juicy Peach
This. Stuff. Smells. Fantastic. My co-worker passed it on to me (and it's part of my Project Pan), and I just love it. It smells great, and it looks great on me. It keeps my lips hydrated better than Chapstick does, which says a LOT about this product. I will definitely, definitely repurchase this.

Benefit "They're Real" Mascara
This mascara is great! I'm hashtag-blessed with long lashes as it is, but these make them look a lot better! It doesn't flake, it has good coverage, and it doesn't smudge easily. I highly recommend it. Unfortunately, I only have a sample size, but I'll dish out a little cash for this someday, after I run out of the eleventy-billion mascaras I now have.

Coastal Scents Go Palette - Beijing
This palette came in my first Boxycharm box and it is BEAUTIFUL. The colors are so useful, and some of them are a little more bold than I would normally wear, which is fun! I always reach for the plum purples and some of the browns in it. This palette has been my go-to for eyeshadow lately, and I absolutely love it!


Flops:

NCLA Nail Polish: Model Behavior
This also came in my first Boxycharm box. It was this beautiful grey-brownish color in the bottle. One coat didn't cover my nails, but the second coat took it from that pretty color to a jet black color. I was so disappointed. It also chipped really, really easily. I think I had it on for a day, even with a crazy good topcoat and base coat, and it was a dud immediately. I gave it away; I was really disappointed.

Mereadesso Moisturizer
This isn't the worst "flop" to ever flop. It just happens to break my face out sometimes, along my jawline. I don't know if I'm allergic to something in it, or what. But it makes my face really soft and smooth. I'm trying to determine if it's the different skin care routine I use it with (I leave it at my boyfriend's place; it's a resealable sample) that causes the breakout or the lotion itself. But either way, it's slightly disappointing.

Be a Bombshell Mascara
First of all, this stuff SMELLED. I mean, I know mascara has a smell, but this smelled god-awful. It was brand new, so I knew it wasn't bad. But, after a few hours, it started flaking on me and it was almost dry from the start. I don't know if I just got a dud, or what, but this mascara was disappointing and frustrating. I don't know what about the Be a Bombshell brand sticks in my head as "quality", but I was really let down by this product.


Now that November is almost over, too, I may as well get on making that list...

Subscription Addiction | Birchbox for October is FINALLY Here!

Boys and girls, let me tell you the story of a long Birchbox journey.

My Birchbox was "born" about 130-ish miles from me, in Mount Juliet, TN, on October 3. The box FINALLY arrived on October 17. It went here, there, and everywhere before finally making it to me. Now, I totally and completely understand that shipping is logistically difficult, but why not give TN residents their boxes first? Reggie got hers WAY before I did, and she lives WAY out of the way. Not really a gripe with Birchbox, but their shipping partner/tracking system.

Anywhoozle.

Product #1: Ellovi Vanilla Butter
This smells like a freshly baked cupcake. And I haven't used it yet, because I just haven't gotten around to trying it, but anything that smells like a cupcake is good in my book. It's body butter, too, so it's not just hand lotion I need to use up like the other ones I've tried. I'll start using it. I'll report back.

Product #2: Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Nude
I haven't used this yet. It's somewhere in my mess of an apartment/cosmetics collection. I've heard good things, but I'm still not jumping out of my skin with excitement to try it? I have my holy grail foundation, and I have a scary story with a distant relative in high school to steer me far away from foundation that isn't an exact match.

Product #3: ModelCo POWERLASH High Impact Black Mascara
I received another ModelCo mascara in my October Ipsy, if I'm not mistaken? I got two ModelCo mascaras. I'm working on my Benefit "They're Real" mascara now, and when that bites the dust, I'll move on to one of these, maybe. Who knows.

Product #4: Ojon Rare Blend Total Hair Therapy
It's in my bathroom. I keep meaning to try it. I haven't. This has been a sentence about it. Honestly, though, I don't do much product when it comes to hair. I'm "low maintenance". Although, that's the point of these boxes, is to try and see if I can break out of that "lazy girl" routine and try something new. So, I shall.

Product #5: Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator
This is pretty good! It works well and leaves my skin feeling really clean and soft. I can't remember off the top of my head if it's at my boyfriend's place or at mine (I received two face cleansers this past month, and one is at either dwelling), but I do enjoy using it and it is a win.

So, Birchbox for October was an overall success. Not a "standing ovation, round of applause, curtain call" type of success, but definitely one with products I will use or try. Birchbox has been consistently worth the $10 and it's been consistently packed with products that don't feel cheap or look cheap.

Subscription Addiction | October Boxycharm

Boxycharm, to me, is always impressive. It's worth WAY more than the $21 I pay for it. Yes, this is only my second month, but even without a beauty style profile or anything else, it's hit the nail on the head both times. There were a couple of things in the October Box that were kind of 'meh', but when it all comes down to it, this box is consistently worth $21 a month for one product alone, let alone the extra two or three I'm usually excited to try.

Product #1: Palmetto Derma Collagen Booster & Restoration Serum
So, this is full size. It's also worth $48. If I were ever to repurchase this, it would have to work freakin' MIRACLES. It doesn't. It does a good job. It makes my skin feel... not dry? I wouldn't say it does anything crazy, but I haven't really paid close attention to my wrinkly areas in order to give it more of a detailed review. So, I'll stick with "it's pretty good" for now and change that in a favorites post later if it blows me away.

Product #2: Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette
I'm really excited about this, actually. I'm trying to educate myself on the uses of more products other than "foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, GO!" Look at this palette, though, guys. It's actually really impressive. I haven't had a chance to give it a try, but I really want to. Now that school and work are a tad bit less crazy, I can experiment a little! This seems like a useful product in general. Anyone could use it, I'm guessing, based on the variety of shades.

Product #3: Cult/Commerce X Boxycharm "Shady" collection
This is a black and purple nail polish duo set. The amount of deep purple shades I have in my collection is absurd. Not that it's not pretty, but I recently bought a similar shade of purple at New York and Company for like $2 on clearance. And I got one in a Beautybox5, if I'm not mistaken. Purple's my favorite color, don't get me wrong, but there IS such a thing as purple overload. I'll trade this one out.

Product #4: Be a Bombshell Eyehsadow
I can't find it at the moment but I think this was a pretty gray color that I will definitely wear. I'm just too lazy to go look for it and it's not sitting in my makeup train case that I have next to me. I haven't worn it yet, but I am excited to try it.

Product #5: Starlooks Ultra Gem Pencil 
I wasn't crazy about this shade to begin with, and I got it AGAIN in my Ipsy bag. Any other color other than OLIVE GREEN I'd be cool with. But, who knows? The swatch on the internet seems to be less ugly than I anticipated, but I'm still very very hesitant. Reggie? Want it?

All in all, Boxycharm continues to impress. If I have one "holy crap, awesome!" product in the box per month, it's worth it to me. The products are ALWAYS full-sized, and 90% of the time, they're crazy good.

Subscription Addiction | My Last Ipsy

I know I'm incredibly behind on blogging. Reggie has made it known! I do have an excuse, with the semester winding down and work being insane, and my boyfriend starting his own business... I've had a lot less "me" time. And I don't like having to explain why I'm taking pictures of my stuff. So, I don't do it. And then it all piles up. And it's disastrous.

Okay! So, thus far, I've been 'meh' about Ipsy. I need to go back and look into what I got for October (although I was fairly certain it was 'meh' too), and post that, but this bag sent me from 'meh' to 'ugh, what a waste'. Here's what I got:

Product #1: J.Cat beauty Wonder Lip Paint in Mad Splatter
I'm not a lip stain gal. I can do glosses, and lipsticks, but lip stains are just way too much for me. Maybe if this were a less intense color, I'd give it a shot. But I'm not a fan. Reggie, it goes without saying that if you want any of this stuff, you let me know. It seemed like a "you" color, but I know you prefer lipstick as well. I've seen YouTube videos where people aren't able to wipe this off after swatching. I get that it's a "stain" concept, and that makes SENSE, but I'd rather it come off when I want it to.

Product #2: Starlooks Ultra Olive Eyeliner Pencil
First and foremost, I received this in my October Boxycharm, if I'm not mistaken, so this is kind of a dud. Plus, it's ultra OLIVE. Which means, green. I learned in middle school that green doesn't always look good on a redhead. Green in moderation, gingers. This was just disappointing. I'll be giving it away for sure.

Product #3: Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hairspray
I... don't wear hairspray that often. The last time I wore hairspray was when I dressed up like Rosie the Riveter for #TBT. And even then I hadn't worn it since... ugh, probably the US Marine Corps Birthday ball with my ex boyfriend in 2012. That was awhile ago. I just don't wear hairspray!

Product #4: it Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Anti Aging Concealer
This I will definitely try. I don't normally do concealer, but I'll give it a fair and honest try. It looks to me like it could actually be in my skin tone so we will give it a fair shake before tearing it apart like the rest of the products I won't use here.

Product #5: SeaRx Birchsap Moisturizing Lotion
This is THE TINIEST sample of my existence in the universe. It will last me maybe 2-3 uses? I'll try it, though, because I don't have a moisturizer in my bag at the moment and it does deserve a shot. I don't know what it smells like, because I haven't smelled it... excuse me, allow me to do that right now. Okay, it does have a scent, but I can't identify what that scent actually is.


So, I canceled Ipsy. The products in it made it feel kind of cheap. I'm not always amazed by every subscription box, but Ipsy has been consistently frustratingly missing the mark. They're never full sized, they never seem to be things I want (minus the one Briogeo hair mask which I live by), or need. I also didn't love the bags, for the most part. Three months of 'meh' isn't worth the $10. I gave BB5 that amount of time, too, so I think it's a fair shot. That's a quarter of a year, so if it's consistently that underwhelming, I can't justify spending that $10 for crap.

Should I spend that $10 elsewhere? Another subscription? Or should I save it and stop with the addiction and move on?

Tarte Kiss and Makeup Amazonian Clay Butter Lipstick Swatches

I bought this set a few weeks ago and completely forgot about it. I have to also mention that I haven't worn any of the lipsticks because I haven't been feeling the colors. Although I tried on a couple shades, they just weren't speaking to me. That isn't to say that I won't wear them or don't like them. I just haven't gotten around to it because I bought a ton of lipsticks last month.

They all swatched really nicely. Surprisingly, my favorites might be the nude shades. That's probably why I haven't worn any of these. I want to wear the nude but I don't like wearing nude lips to work.

From Top: Merry Berry, Pink Poinsettia, Candy Apple, Sweet Peach, Angelic Nude.

As you can see, these lipsticks are more on the glossy side. That's also why I haven't reached for them. I've really been into matte or satin finish on my lips. I really can't wait to wear Merry Berry because it does have glitter in it. I don't like wearing glossier finishes on my lips for work only because those wear off easier and there isn't always time for me to touch up my lipstick.

Angelic Nude is actually a nude shade that works for my skintone. I also really love the look of Sweet Peach for a more toned down lip. I haven't been wearing glossy red shades, so I don't know how I feel about Candy Apple.

From Left: Merry Berry, Pink Poinsettia, Candy Apple, Sweet Peach, Angelic Nude.

One thing of note would be that these smell like mint! I was surprised about that because I've never had a lipstick that smells minty. Most of the lip colors I own have a vanilla smell or a similar sweet smell.

The smell does linger on your lips and it makes your lips tingle a little bit. I like the smell and the tingle, but I'm sure it isn't for everyone.

I forgot to mention that these lipsticks are full size, unlike many of the other holiday sets. I purchased mine for $18, but Ulta sells this online for $33, which is still a great price considering that one Amazonian Butter Lipstick retails for $16!

The packaging is cute and you can definitely tell that these are for the holidays. I don't have any other Tarte lipsticks, but I'm pretty sure all the Amazonian Butter Lipsticks are packaged in this same cardboard lipstick tube. The only downside to the packaging is that you definitely don't want to get this wet!

All in all, I really like this set and I'm sure I'll start wearing the colors more into the winter when my lips are a little drier and I can't wear a matte lipstick every day!

October Monthly Favorites

Favorites post! I feel like I had a lot of favorites again this month, and some of them are repeats because I haven't stopped using them. I'm sure I'll have a few different ones next month because I've used up a few products in this post. 

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque - I've only been using this for two weeks, but I love it so much that I had to include it in my favorites. Two weeks is long enough, don't you think? I've used this four or five times and have also used this as an overnight spot treatment. It smells so minty and awesome and I bought it on sale for less than $4. The best part is that my nose just looks so clean. I can't think of any other way to describe it. 

Baviphat White Grape Lifting Yogurt Cleansing Foam - I thought I was going to kill this cleanser because it was running low in the beginning of the month. I've used this pretty much every day and night and there's still a teeny bit left in the tube. I'll probably cut the top off to get the remaining at some point. This is just the creamiest cleanser and I love using it with my Clarisonic.

Nature Republic Soothing and Moisture Aloe Vera 90% Toner - I bought this a couple months back in a SaSa order where I purchased a ton of toners. I replaced last month's favorite toner with this for no particular reason. I had just noticed it was sitting in my travel makeup bag from vacation in August and I left it on the side of the sink so I could use it. It's probably my most moisturising toner and I love it.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner - Yep. Another toner. I was having some skin issues earlier in the month and I swear by tea tree for clearing up my skin. I used to hate this toner because I was spoiled by my holy grail tea tree toner by Lush. I wouldn't use this all the time because it has the tendency to dry my skin and I always follow it up with another toner.

Baviphat Lemon Whitening Sleeping Pack - I use this every night before I go to bed. Sleeping pack is just a Korean name for an overnight mask. It has the consistency of a thin lotion and it smells like lemon. The whole purpose of this product is to lighten the darker spots of the skin. Since I was breaking out near the time of the month during last month and this month, I've been consistently using this to lighten my darker scarred spots and I feel like it speeds up the healing.

Paintbox Soapworks Avast! Sorbetto - Sorbetto is a body scrub from Paintbox Soapworks and my favorite scent is Avast! The scent notes include coconut milk, cardamom, coffee beans, and musk. This is a repeat purchase for me as I bought the entire scent line last year as well. This scent is from the summer seasonal offerings from Paintbox Soapworks, which is an indie brand that sells only on Etsy. I also have the soap, solid scent, and lotion in this scent. Sorbetto is my favorite type of scrub, indie, drugstore, or high end.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief - I got two mini sizes of this gel lotion with a gift set last month. I've already finished one of the minis and I did purchase a larger size because I love it. I use this every morning after my SPF because I feel like it helps everything absorb into my skin better and my foundation primer doesn't pill up as much with this underneath it.

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer - This also appeared last month and I've yet to stop using it. This moisturizer is usually what I use after my AHA and retinol and before my sleeping pack if I'm really tired and don't have time to use a bunch of products. If I'm using other things, it's usually sandwiched in there somewhere. 

Alpha Hydrox AHA Souffle 12% Glycholic Acid - I seriously credit this little product for turning around my skin. AHA is supposed to be really important in skincare and since I've added this, I've seen a difference. I always make sure I have enough on hand and it's the one thing I don't mind buying advance backups for because I know it will get used. I use this every morning and night and try to limit other acidic products because I like this the best.

Skinfood Black Raspberry Eye Cream - I usually use more than one eye cream just because. This is the cream I use after my Clinique eye cream because this is much more moisturizing. I like the herbal smell it has, which I suppose is weird because it's labeled as black raspberry. Skinfood has always made some nice skincare and I haven't found anything from the brand that I like more than this.

MAC Face and Body Foundation in N1 - Yes, this little baby is still going strong. It does provide lighter coverage than I need sometimes, which is why there are a couple other foundations sitting next to this one. It's perfect, really. I wish they still made the 3oz bottles because I'm going to need to repurchase this soon. I haven't found anything makes my skin have a nice finish like this one does. So worth the $27 because it contains more than all the other foundations I own.

Illamasqua Skin Base in 2 and 3.5 - I bought shade 2 to mix into my MAC Face and Body, but it's a bit lighter than what I was looking for, so I also bought shade 3.5 to mix in. I can use shade 3.5 by itself or mixed with Face and Body and the finish is really nice. I don't get the same effect as the Face and Body, but if I just mix in a little then it doesn't mess around with the finish. When I do a paler face in the winter, I'll probably add in more of shade 2, but I've mostly been using shade 3.5 and I love them so far.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser - You can actually see how much of this I used from last month and it looks like a lot! I seriously haven't used anything else under my eyes and I love the way this blends out.

Clinique High Impact Mascara - I've had a love/hate relationship with my eyelash curler this month because the pad keeps coming out of the base. I actually don't mind my eyelashes with this mascara even if I don't curl them. That's saying a lot because I don't usually go without curling my lashes if I'm going to wear mascara.

Innisfree Mineral Stick Concealer - I seriously swear by this concealer stick. I don't even know why I stopped using it. I think when we moved that it somehow got lost in the packing and I magically discovered it. This just blends into my skin like magic and I love it more than my expensive concealers.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in El Dorado - I don't know what it is, but I've been really loving gold eyeliner on my lower lashline. I'll wear a black liner in my lower waterline and draw this around the tear duct and under the lashes and it just gives a little bit of shine without being super noticeable. The best part is that this fades gracefully after many hours and the shimmer doesn't get all over my face.

Noir Eyeliner in Black - Hands down, best black eyeliner that I've used. I pulled Urban Decay Perversion out of my makeup bag when I got this in my Birchbox. This liner seriously lasts all day on my waterline and clings to my lower lashline like nobody's business. The best part? I don't know where it goes! There's always a little less liner on my waterline when I get home, but it doesn't settle under my eyes like Perversion did. It's perfection.

Tarte Pin Up Girl Blush Palette - For the most part, when I was going to wear blush, this was what I reached for. The three colors that I wore the most were Embraced, Bashful, and Irreplaceable, which are the top two colors and the second to the bottom. I wore all the colors, but those were the ones that got the most use.

MAC Aphrodite's Shell Bronzer - I think at one point I said I stopped using this for another bronzer, but I couldn't go without it. You can see that my wave pattern is fading even more. I just really love this bronzer. It's the perfect color for me when I don't want to be too bronzed, and it is getting colder out and the time for pale skin is now.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess - This was the bronzer that I kept using in place of Aphrodite's Shell. I love this bronzer, but I think it's a little dark for the winter. I wish I had bought this sooner so I could have used it this summer. I've used it a lot this month, but I think it's shifting to the back of my organizer already because it's a little too dark at the moment.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed - The pattern on this blush is already starting to fade away, which is saying a lot. It takes a ton of uses to make that go away. I love this color. It's been the perfect fall nude cheek this month. I have accumulated a lot of other blushes recently, though, so this might fade away if I go for a brighter cheek.

Inglot Eyeshadow in Pearl 450 and DS 494 - Since dyeing my hair a darker burgundy color, I had to find something new to color in my brows. I love this little three pan palette because it holds my shadow colors that I used to shade in my eyebrows and a highlight shade that I barely use. I first go in with the purple, DS 494, and define the shape and then go over it with Pearl 450 to color match my hair. My brows last all day with these colors and always look nice.

MAC Studio Sculpt Powder in Light - There used to be a really defined pattern in the powder when I first bought it, but you can barely see it anymore. I use this to set my foundation in place so that when I use blush and bronzer that it won't move around underneath. I love this because it doesn't even look like I used a powder to begin with.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light - I've been trying to use this more because my powder has unglued itself from the pan and doesn't like to say in there. I do like this for a lighter makeup look and it sticks to the areas of blemishes that don't like to hold foundation. I just like it because it helps my makeup look more flawless.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade - This is probably one of my favorite highlighters ever. I had a couple other MAC ones, but I hardly ever use them unless I'm in a rush and grab the wrong one. It doesn't show up in the swirled colors, but rather just a nice glow. I love it.

Innisfree Pink Beam Mineral Pact - I'm sad to say that I dropped this a week or two after I got it, but the powder was soft enough that I was able to press it back into the pan for the most part. This is what I use to set my undereye concealer. It's meant to be used as a highlighter, but it doesn't show up too pink under my eyes and it just brightens them. If I'm running late, I'll also add it to my cheeks, but I like it mostly for a glow under my eyes,

Lips of the Month - October

Monthly round-up of all the lipsticks I wore this month! I had hauled a bunch of NYX lip products and Kat Von D lipsticks late last month, which is why there's a lack of MAC lipsticks in this post. I've really been feeling red lipstick and darker colors instead of the brights that I had been wearing. I'm pretty sure most of the lipsticks I wore were either matte or satin formulas. I didn't end up wearing all my new lip colors this month, but I'm sure I'll get to them next month.

From left: Spitfire, Zurich, Milan, MAC Red, Sail La Vie, Bloody Mary

From top: Spitfire, Zurich, Milan, MAC Red, Sail La Vie, Bloody Mary.

I wore all satin and matte lip colors in this batch and barely anything bright. It's the beginning of my month of reds.

Spitfire: Satin formula. Limited edition from the Wonder Woman collection. I was never a huge fan of purple lipstick before buying this one. It leans a little more berry on my lips and it definitely can be toned down. This is one of the lipsticks I try not to wear too often because I'm afraid I'll use it up, even though it barely looks like I made a dent.

Zurich: NYX Matte Lip Cream. This was the first matte lip cream that I tried because I wanted to test drive it on my day off. I really do like a nuder color for when I don't wear a full face of makeup. I think my problem was finding the right nude colors. This is more of a pink-beige which looks less like the concealer lips that I think of when I hear "nude."

Milan: NYX Matte Lip Cream. This was a brighter pink than I expected because the color doesn't really match the tube. I probably like the color a lot more knowing that it's a little brighter because that is right up my alley.

MAC Red: Satin formula. I love this red lipstick. For times when I don't want a matte lipstick, satin is the next best thing. I love the color of MAC Red, but I noticed that it doesn't wear as well as many of my other red lipsticks. I can't remember if I was drinking and eating during my shift, but I felt that I reapplied this more than any other lipstick.

Sail La Vie: Satin formula. Limited edition from the Hey, Sailor! collection. This is probably one of my favorite shades of lip color. When I first purchased this, I was hoping it would be similar to Toxic Tale, which is another limited edition lipstick. It is similar, but a slightly different color and I love both of them.

Bloody Mary: NYX Matte. This was the first NYX matte lipstick that I tried. I really love the color. It's only slightly pink to where you can barely notice that it isn't a true red. I was really pleased with how smooth the NYX mattes were and I was so stoked that my lips didn't dry out while wearing this color.

From left: Sexer, Lovecraft, La Vie En Rouge, Indie Flick, Bachelorette, Stockholm.

From top: Sexer, Lovecraft, La Vie En Rouge, Indie Flick, Bachelorette, Stockholm.

It's worth mentioning that every lipstick in this batch had never been worn before. All of these colors are new! Still going with the matte lip for the most part.

Sexer: Kat Von D Iridescent formula. I loved this color! You can actually see the duochrome in my swatch above. It's a great neon pink with a purple shift. It wore really well and it felt nice on my lips. I would consider buying this in a full size if I got a discount.

Lovecraft: Kat Von D Matte formula. This color actually really surprised me. Just like Zurich in the previous batch of colors, it ended up being my perfect nude lip. I wasn't sure if I was going to like this color, but I do! I think part of liking it so much was the great matte formula.

La Vie En Rouge: Matte formula. Limited edition from the Matte Lip 2014 collection. I can't believe this was the only MAC lipstick from this batch! I do have to say that I'm biased because MAC still makes my favorite lipsticks, but this is my absolute top pick for this batch and maybe the month. It may have something to do with the fact that it's new, but I loved this color so much.

Indie Flick: NYX Matte. I had such high hopes for this color because look at the way it swatches. I gave such nice, dense coverage on my arm. This just didn't apply that great on my lips. It was kind of a let down because my lips were flaky pretty much the entire time I wore this lipstick.

Bachelorette: Kat Von D Matte formula. I loved this lipstick too. I don't think I've actually worn a Kat Von D color that has disappointed me so far. I do have similar colors to this and it actually looks a little similar to the La Vie En Rouge swatch, though Bachelorette leans more red/pink and La Vie En Rouge leans more red/coral.

Stockholm: NYX Matte Lip Cream. I wore this color when my dad came over because I definitely didn't need heavy makeup on to see him. I was really impressed that this wore through lunch and an iced tea. Another one of my perfect nude shades. I think I don't need to buy any more, but NYX definitely has my favorite nude shades.

From left: Fanfare, Kelly Yum Yum, Merlot, Motörhead, Mystical, Utterly Frivolous.

From top: Fanfare, Kelly Yum Yum, Merlot, Motörhead, Mystical, Utterly Frivolous.

There's a pretty decent amount of nudes in this batch because I had a job interview and orientation and didn't want to wear a red or pink lipstick. I went back to some MAC favorites as well.

Fanfare: Cremesheen formula. I think I mentioned this lipstick before when I posted my favorite neutral lip post. This is definitely more of a pink lipstick, but I guess it does lean nude when I swatch it on my arm.

Kelly Yum Yum: Satin formula. Limited edition from the Kelly Osbourne collection. This was an honorable mention in my favorite pink lipstick post. The more I wear this lipstick, the more I love it. The finish is perfect and the color is just so bright.

Merlot: NYX Matte. I do love this color, but I did think it was going to be on the darker side. It was darker than my usual red lip, which was what I was going for. This color also wears great, just like the other NYX matte lipsticks that I had tried.

Motörhead: Kat Von D Matte formula. I've read a few reviews on the KVD lipsticks and this color always seems to get a bad rap because it drags. I found that yes, it did drag a bit, but only on my arm. You can see that the color caught my baby hairs on my arm, but that it doesn't look particularly bad. I also didn't find that it applied badly to my lips. I always rub my lips with my washcloth in the morning and apply lip balm before I put on lipstick, so maybe that helps. Anyway, I loved this color and I even took the time to clean up my lip line with a bit of liner.

Mystical: Cremesheen formula. Limited edition from the Alluring Aquatic collection. This is another lipstick I mentioned in my favorite neutral lipsticks post. This is a my lips but better color and it leans a little more mauve nude. As always, I love the packaging of this lipstick and wish the collection came out with bolder colors.

Utterly Frivolous: Lustre formula. Limited edition from the Fafi collection. Yet another favorite color from my neutral lipstick post. The color is a lot more dense on my lips than it is on my arm and covers better than most of my lustre finish lipsticks. The only thing that steers this away from being neutral is that the lipstick is packed with glitter.

From left: Alabama, Feel My Pulse, Antwerp, Hexagram, Countess, Russian Red.

From top: Alabama, Feel My Pulse, Antwerp, Hexagram, Countess, Russian Red.

This is another batch of colors that I really loved. Russian Red is one of my all time favorite red lipsticks. By the end of the month, I tested out most of my Kat Von D lipsticks and a decent chunk of my NYX lipsticks and creams.

Alabama: NYX matte. I refreshed the Ulta site many times before purchasing other colors because this one was unavailable during the sale. As soon as it was available again, I checked my cart out super quick. When the color arrived, I was disappointed because it looked like such a brown red and it swatched really brown on my skin. Well, I finally decided to wear it and it doesn't lean brown on my lips at all. It's just a really great dark red lipstick. Again, I love the formula of these. The lipstick goes on smooth and doesn't dry my lips.

Feel My Pulse: Cremesheen formula. Limited edition from the Temperature Rising collection. I was really feeling purple lips on this particular day. This is a nice buildable color where it can look magenta or bright purple and I love the packaging of the Temperature Rising collection.

Antwerp: NYX Matte Lip Cream. I hadn't worn a lip cream for a while and decided to wear one of them. I really liked this color and it lasted a long time on my lips. I'm glad I branched off to these lip creams because I've been really loving them this month.

Hexagram: Kat Von D matte formula. I really didn't expect to like this color as much as I did for some reason. I wore this to my first day at my new job and I didn't want to rock a red lip, but I accidentally did. I thought this was going to lean more pink, but it definitely didn't. I didn't have to reapply this at all and I even went out for drinks after work with my coworkers from my other job afterwards and it didn't even transfer on my glass.

Countess: Kat Von D matte formula. I love this orange lipstick. This is definitely one of the standouts from the Studded Kiss lipstick set I purchased earlier in the month. This is a full coverage lipstick and is orange, but not too bright.

Russian Red: Matte formula. Permanent color, but the packaging is limited edition from the Wonder Woman collection. This is one of my favorite red lipsticks ever. It's a blue toned red that makes your teeth appear whiter. This is a bit of a darker red compared to some of my brighter red lipsticks like MAC Red. I feel like I don't wear this color enough, but it's definitely one of my favorite colors.


Roundup!

MAC Lipsticks: 10
Satin: 4
Matte: 2
Cremesheen: 3
Lustre: 1

NYX: 8
Matte Lipstick: 4
Matte Lip Cream: 4

Kat Von D: 6
Matte: 5
Iridescent: 1

Total Matte Lipsticks: 15 out of 24!