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?