June 2014 Ipsy Bag

Hi guys!

I'm almost caught up on my subscriptions now. Today (just a little late) I have my June Ipsy Bag for you. This month's bag theme was Pretty in Paradise and Rebecca Minkoff designed the bag! Look at how pretty it is!

In my bag, I got:

Be a Bombshell Lash Out Mascara

This mascara had a bit of a controversy surrounding it because many people complained about it's smell (mine smells bad, but it's not unusable and it does go away). It has a decent effect on lashes, but it smudged on me pretty badly, so I haven't used it that much.

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray

As I mentioned in my favorites post, I'm loving beach sprays right now. I'm not a huge fan of the pump on this one, but I certainly can't complain about it.

Nyx Butter Gloss in Eclair

I haven't used this yet, but I've been thinking about trying the Nyx Butter Glosses for a while now. I don't use lip products very often, but when I have occasion to wear this, I'm very much looking forward to it.

Jesse's Girl Waterproof Eyeliner

 I don't use liquid eyeliner (especially not in black) so this product is a bust. On to the swap board it goes!

Ole Henriksen Truth to Go Wipes

These smell exactly like the Truth to Go serum that came in a previous bag (that I traded for) which is a light citrus-y cream scent. It's not my favorite, but I don't hate it. I do like how wet these are, and they do an excellent job of removing makeup.

So that's everything! Did you guys get the June bag? Are you totally excited or wishing for something else?

February Favorites

Okay, so this is late, I know, but I was using some products that I really liked in February, so I figured there was still time to share them!

Sally Hansen Cuticle Eraser and Balm

I started using this again in February because it has been a rough winter on my skin. My regular body butter wasn't cutting it for my cuticles, so I brought this back into the mix. It takes some getting used to (at least for me) in terms of having it on, but I put it on right before I go to bed and wake up with my hands looking so much better.

Faith Aromatherapy Tahitian Monoi Anti-Aging Scrub

This came in the January Ipsy bag, and even though I didn't get a sample, I used the coupon code to buy the full size. I had never used a body scrub, and I really like how exfoliating AND moisturizing it is. The only thing I'll say about it, though, is that if you're going to use it before you shave either do it a day before or invest in some razor cleaning stuff because it clogs up your razors really badly. And mine are far too expensive for that to be okay with me.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

I went to the dermatologist in February to try and get my skin under control, and one of the things I realized was that with my new routine, I was using way too many drying products on my face. So, I switched to Cetaphil, and I'm really liking it. It doesn't have the same excitement as my previous routine, but it gets the job done without killing my already tortured skin.

NYC In a New York Minute Top Coat

All the credit goes to Nouveau Cheap for this one. My Seche Vite just wasn't helping me out anymore, so I took a risk and tried this $1.99 top coat from NYC. And it's kind of amazing. It's nothing crazy in terms of keeping chipping at bay, but it does a better job than my more expensive brand.

Nyx Love in Paris Eyeshadow Palette in Parisian Chic

I love my neutrals, you guys. And I love this palette. Do I probably have enough neutral eyeshadows? Yes. But this one is my favorite as far as "fancy neutrals" go. I use my Pop Beauty eyeshadow trio on a daily basis, but when I'm going out and want to step it up a bit, I go for this palette.

That's everything I loved last month. I kind of had a back to basics month, and I'm totally okay with that!

December 2013 Ipsy Bag

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

Today I have my December Ipsy bag to share with you.

This month's theme was "Celebration." This bag looked like this:

And in the bag I got:

Nicka K nail polish in Classic Taupe

I love nail polish, and I've been super into neutrals lately. I'm excited about this, even if I won't get to try it for a few months.

Nyx Extra Creamy Lipstick in Ceto (546)

I'm not really into lipstick, but this seems like a pretty, wearable color.

Pop Beauty eyeshadow trio in Naturall Bare

This is what I'm most excited about. I was really hoping to get the Naturally Bare trio, and I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Flustered

This is quite a color! I'm interested in it, but I'll have to be careful with it. It's really bright and pigmented which is great!

I was also supposed to get a Mirabella eyeshadow brush, but I realized it wasn't in my bag. I'm not too worried about it, though.

What do you think of this month's bag? I'm really excited about it!

Hope you guys have a great day!

September-October Ipsy Reviews

It's time for another round of Ipsy reviews! I don't have too many things I can fully report on, since I end up trading some things away or I haven't gotten around to using them yet, but I can tell you about some products!

La Fresh Face Cleansing Wipes

I really like these! They smell good (though I don't know what "refreshing scent" means), and I think they do a good job removing makeup. I've been using them a lot when I travel because the 10-wipe pack is the perfect size for that. I wish I had more, but I probably won't repurchase. 

Cailyn Lip Balm in Big Apple

I was excited about this product because I saw so many people talk about how "wearable" a red it was. I was disappointed by it. For something that calls itself a balm, it's not moisturizing at all, and I didn't think the red looked good on me at all. I only used it once, and I wish I had swapped it instead.

Elizabeth Mott's It's So Big mascara

I've been using this for the past month now, and though I like it, I'm not in love with it. I don't know if it's my lashes or the way I apply, but my left eye always seems to clump badly. My right eye will look great, and my left eye will look spidery and weird. I bought a new mascara this weekend, so this one will be going away soon.

Starlooks Kohl Liner in Obsidian

I've only used this once, but I thought it worked pretty well. I tend to go toward non-pencil eyeliner, so this won't ever be a staple for me, but it worked well in my waterline and came off very black.

Nyx eyeshadow in Walnut

This isn't the color I got in my Ipsy, but Nyx was replacing them for free in the color of your choice, and this is the one I got! I love it a lot. It's beautiful and wears really well. You can see a swatch of it here. I'll definitely look into more Nyx shadows in the future.

New eyeshadow from Coastal Scents

Hey guys!

I have some super exciting stuff to share with you today! A while back someone posted in one of my groups on Facebook that Coastal Scents was having a 99 cent hot pot deal. I'd been looking for some more really good neutral shadows, so I hopped on that quick! I spent less than $9 and got a magnetic palette and four eye shadow hot pots. I also received a Nyx shadow that they sent in replacement of the one I got in my Ipsy bag last month.

Magnetic palette

Starting top left and moving clockwise: New Penny, Sunset Gold, Timeless Taupe, Amber Bronze

Nyx in Walnut

 And now for some swatches!

L-R: Timeless Taupe, Amber Bronze, Sunset Gold, New Penny, Walnut

 Coastal Scents also included this cute little mini palette with my order.

What a pretty little mermaid-y palette!

L-R: Arctic Breeze, Laguna Green, Appletini, Indigo

I am really loving the Coastal Scents shadows a lot. I used them for the first time yesterday, and they're crazily pigmented, especially with a primer and a base. All my swatches are without primer or base, so just imagine how crazy they are with them!

I also really like the magnetic palette. I've been toying with getting a Z palette or something similar and depotting a lot of my makeup for a while.

Do any of these swatches look interesting to you? Have you ever tried Coastal Scents? What did you think?

September Favorites

It's favorites time again! Let's look at everything I've been loving this month!

1. Michael Todd Jojoba Scrub

I got this in my Ipsy this month, and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't too abrasive, but I felt like it got my skin really clean and left it feeling really smooth. The sample size lasted me for a good time, too. And it's not even that expensive. I may have looked into purchasing a full size if not for the next product..

2. St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub

I've only had this product since Wednesday, but in those four washes, my skin has improved dramatically. I've been dealing with a lot of stress and negativity this month (more on that in my next personal update) and my skin has been showing it. I bought the Loreal Anti Breakout Go 360 Clean, but it didn't seem to have a huge effect. Then I saw Ingrid talk about this product on Youtube, and I am so glad I picked it up. My face is finally calming down, and it's definitely due to this product.

3. Elf Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick in French Lace

I added this into my recent Elf purchase to use as an eyeshadow base, and I'm so glad I did! It's making me fall in love with my eyeshadows all over again. Some of them just perform so much better over a base! This pencil does has shimmer, which I wish it didn't, but most of the eyeshadow I use on a regular basis does too, so it's not a huge deal. I'm going to try and seek out the new Color Tattoo in Nude Pink to see how that performs, but for $2, this one definitely ain't bad!

4. Lorac Mint Palette

Using the Elf stick has really made me love my Lorac Mint Palette this month. Before, the eyeshadows didn't seem that pigmented, but the base really makes them stand out. And, because the palette has a blush, I've been reaching for it most often this month. I usually go for the bottom left pink on my eyelid, the matte light brown in the top for my crease, the shimmery dark brown on the bottom in my outer corner, and the cream as a highlight. It's a great natural look. I haven't been brave enough to try the mint or the dark purple yet.

6. Space Heater

Yes, I'm giving my space heater a shout out. I don't know where I'd be without it. It may be dinky, but it's kept me from freezing at night, and for this Florida girl, that is something to be grateful for.

7. Nyx Slide on Liner in Brown Perfection

After trying this this month, I'm kind of mad at myself for waiting so long. I love this eyeliner. It's creamy, it's thin and easy to control, and it lasts! It's on par with my Tarte ones that I have loved forever, but SO much cheaper. I'm definitely picking up a plethora of other colors when I next end up at Ulta.

So that's everything! I have some very exciting new things coming in the mail, so be sure to stay tuned for some new make up goodies!

Ulta and Drugstore Haul

I've gotten a lot of new products lately! It seems like my purchasing happens in spurts. I can go for a while without anything new, and then all of a sudden, I have a ton of stuff to try out! Some of this is from my Ulta excursion, some of it I got in a swap, and some of it I order from Elf!

1. Butter London - British Racing Green

Totally excited about this color. It's gonna be awesome for winter/the holiday season.

2. Nyx Slide On Liners in Brown Perfection and Jewel

I've been meaning to try these for a while, and I am not disappointed! The brown is more pigmented than jewel, but they're both gorgeous, last forever, and are super creamy. I definitely need to get all the colors!

3. Ulta quad in Illusion

Naked, Seashell, Mystique, Twilight (Top L, Top R, Bottom L, Bottom R)

I'm loving this natural quad from Ulta. I use Naked as a highlight, Seashell on my lid, Mystique in my crease, and Twilight in the outer V. 

4. Mica eyeshadow in Bronze

I haven't gotten to try this yet, but I'm quickly becoming obsessed with bronzes, so I'm very excited to give it a try!

5. Almay lip balm in Blooming

This is a beautiful "my lips but better" color, and it's not too sticky, which I'm pretty sensitive about.

6. Elf Matte Lip Color in Coral

Haven't had a chance to try this yet, but I love everything coral, so I'm not worried.

7. Elf brushes - Crease and Blending

         

New brushes! I'm really enjoying adding these into my make up routine. It's nice not using the same brush for everything!

8. Elf eyeshadow stick in French Lace

I got this to use as an eyeshadow base, and it's quickly becoming a must-have for getting ready!

9. Wet 'n Wild Megaprotein Mascara

Despite it's name, this mascara gives me a super natural look, so I'm really liking it. It has a little bit of a tendency to smudge, though, which I'm not a fan of. Plus, I love the packaging. This has inspired me to try more Wet 'n Wild mascara!

Tell me what new things you've been trying lately! Very soon, I will have a ton of nail polish to share with you! For now, though, I hope you have a fabulous weekend!