31.1.14

Ipsy January 2014 In-Depth Review

Just a heads up, but this is going to be a completely negative post. I received Ipsy's November and December bags and was completely blown away with happiness, but January's is just not up to that standard. At all. This month's bag contained only samples, not even deluxe samples, and they were all just really bad products to put it bluntly. -_- 

* Ipsy is a subscription service for only 10 USD (including free shipping) that sends you a makeup bag filled with 5-6 (usually full-size or deluxe samples) beauty products each month. You can cancel at any time! * 

Ipsy January 2014 Theme "19 Reasons"

The items I received were: 

  • Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask SAMPLE
  • Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow SAMPLE in shade "Pearl" 
  • Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion SAMPLE 
  • MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm SAMPLE in shade "Fiesta" 
  • Proactiv Mark Fading Pads SAMPLE

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask SAMPLE  

My hair and skin are very sensitive to most products. It's taken me my entire lifetime to figure out what products work and what products will destroy my skin and hair. I stick to my products (mostly natural, without chemicals), but I think I was desperate to at least like ONE thing in this bag so I tried this. Big mistake! After using this product, I woke up and my hair was so oily that I had to wash it AGAIN! It looked like I hadn't showered in days, it was so gross. It didn't make my hair soft and the smell wasn't that pleasant. Fail. 

 Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow SAMPLE in shade "Pearl" 

I'm at a loss for this pencil. Is it an eyeliner or an eyeshadow? It's a pretty color and glides on smooth sure, but WHAT do you do with it? It's so small and hard to sharpen and just so frustrating. Fail. 

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion SAMPLE 

This is probably my favorite least favorite product. It's organic and lightweight, but it smells like moldy fruit. Also, it's such a small sample that you will probably see no difference in your skin after using it. Fail. 

 MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm SAMPLE in shade "Fiesta"  

I think MicaBeauty needs to rename this. "Lip balms" are supposed to be moisturizing and feel good on the lips. This completely dries out your lips. It's horrifying. The color is fine, but the sample size is so small that you will barely get any use out of it, provided that you actually WANT to use this. Fail. 

Proactiv Mark Fading Pads SAMPLE 

Proactiv contains harsh chemicals that harm your skin. Ever wonder why it burns? These ingredients are not good for your skin whatsoever and many Ipsy subscribers said that it actually caused inflammation and more blemishes. Trashed! Also you will not see any difference in your skin after using four tiny pads. Fail. 

Ipsy: 10 USD 
Retail: -samples- 

FAVORITES: .....................

I'm not even going to bother posting individual pictures of these products. Trust me, you don't want to buy any of this. Will I unsubscribe from Ipsy? Hell no. Have you seen November and December's bags? You win some and you lose some. And even if this one lost it big time, it's still worth it. Bring on next month! :)



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31.12.13

Julep December 2013 (Boho Glam) Box Review

After having a positive experience with my Julep intro-box, I decided to keep on with my subscription! Out of all the possible combinations that were listed for December, I decided that I liked the "Boho Glam" style the most this month. 

* Julep is a monthly subscription service that you can change, cancel, or skip a month at any time. You can choose from five different combinations - "Boho Glam", "Bombshell", or "Classic With a Twist" that each come with two nail polishes and one-full size beauty product, or choose the "It-Girl Box" that features three nail polishes with NO beauty product, OR the "Modern Beauty" box that comes with two full-size beauty products. You can choose whichever combination you like the most for that month. Each box also comes with a free small gift in every box and quick shipping on every order! *


 The items I received in this box were: 
  • Julep Nail Color in shade "Misti" 
  • Julep Nail Color in shade "Joelle" 
  • Julep Sweep Eyeshadow Palette in shade "Neutrals" 
  • 2 Hair Ties 
The Nail Colors 


"MISTI" 


This nail color is described as a "smoky blue-grey crème". I can really see why they included this in the "Boho Glam" box. This earthly neutral shade is very warm and beautiful. It looks so beautiful in person and seems a tad darker than the online photos on Julep, which makes it seem even more mysterious and inviting. I love it! 

Retail: 14 USD 


"JOELLE" 


Wow, this color is cosmic. It's described as "full coverage smoky holographic glitter". I can definitely testify that this is full coverage, this nail polish is packed full of the holographic glitter and spreads evenly on the nails. Even though the glitter looks silver online, it isn't. It's multi-color! Online photos rarely do holographic glitter any justice; just take my word on this one, it's awesome!  

Retail: 14 USD (currently out of stock) 

The Beauty Product 



The first thing I noticed about the palette was that it is a lot smaller than I envisioned in my head. And I've actually grown to like that better. This is perfect for travel! The palette snaps shut by use of a magnet and has a small mirror above the shades. The pigmentation of these eyeshadows are incredible - I barely swipe my finger and it's full coverage. They are smooth and glide on like a dream. I'm not really a big fan of brown eyeshadows, but I'll try them out. My favorite shade is definitely Dusk, it's a pretty warm pink color. 

Retail: 24 USD 

The Extra Gift 


Having extra, extra, extra long hair, I'm in love with these hair ties. Which means I use them often. Which means they get lost more often. Which means I can always use spares! These hair ties don't pull and don't lose elasticity. You can't go wrong! I probably won't be wearing the silver one seeing as I loathe anything silver, but that purple one will be in my hair for months to come (until I lose it). 

Julep price: 20 USD 
Retail price: 52 USD

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Eco Emi December 2013 Box

* Eco Emi is a monthly subscription box that allows you to sample a wide variety of all-natural, eco-friendly, animal conscious, vegetarian, and free trade products without spending a fortune. For just 15 USD, you will get a box filled with various beauty, household, and/or food sample products delivered to your doorstep. It's a great way to determine which products work best for your earth-conscious and eco-friendly lifestyle! * 

 Eco Emi is definitely shaping up to be one of my favorite subscription boxes! It's like getting a present each month when I get a new Eco Emi box, I never know what I'm going to get! :) I also love that Eco Emi includes samples from shops on Etsy, I always like to discover and sample new organic and natural shops. I am very excited to share with you my Eco Emi December review! 
December 2013 Eco Emi Box

Eco Emi definitely wins the cutest packaging award out of all my subscription boxes. Each month they have a theme and you can probably guess this month's theme... Christmas! I just want to note that inside the organza bag, each item was individually wrapped! 
The items I received were: 
  • Winter Wonderland Goat Milk Soap by Omniio
  • Exfoliating Daily Cleansing Towelettes by Blum Naturals
  • Natural Herbal Decongestant Salve by Sage Aromatherapy 
  • Seed Paper by Plantables and Paper
  • Tree Cookie Cutter by the Party Fairy 
  • Candy Cane Hand Sanitizer by Fortune Cookie Soap 
  • Aah Bath Soak by Wash 
  • Whitelighter Eye Shadow by Brija Cosmetics 
Winter Wonderland Goat Milk Soap by Omniio


The first thing I noticed about this soap was that it's a great size for a sample! Too often have I gotten sample soaps that would only last a few washes - this soap seems like it will last me an entire month. This soap is handmade and created with high quality oils and rich butters, making it gluten, paraben, and sulfate free. It smells like nutmeg and star anise, definitely a more "spicy" smelling soap, perfect for the holidays! 

Exfoliating Daily Cleansing Towelettes by Blum Naturals


These towelettes are infused with natural and organic botanicals that help remove eye and face make up. They are saturated with an orange scent that not only smells great, but exfoliates the skin, leaving your face feeling fresh and clean. I love that this is orange-scented, I hate cleansers that are unscented or just smell like chemicals!


Natural Herbal Decongestant Salve by Sage Aromatherapy 


I love that Eco Emi included this sample! I've always wanted to try something like this for one of my once-a-year death coughs. It smells very pleasant and very strong - which is a great thing for a decongestant. It contains eucalyptus, peppermint, ginger, wintergreen, thyme, cedarwood, tea tree beeswax, and carrier oil. Directions include rubbing a bit on your chest and throat daily to open your airways, or rubbing some on the soles of your feet and covering with socks to suppress a cough. 


Seed Paper by Plantables and Paper


I had ZERO clue what this was until I read the information card. It's seed paper! Made using recycled paper and a blend of wildflower seeds, this seed paper allows you to write a new year's resolution or wish and plant it! It's such a unique idea, I have never heard of anything like this. I'm curious to see if it'll grow. 


Tree Cookie Cutter by the Party Fairy

Sorry, no picture available! I made the mistake of opening my box at work and of course my co-workers went through my  Eco Emi things, hahaha. My co-worker Jen, who recently got accepted to culinary school, immediately noticed the cookie cutter and I couldn't say no, provided that she promise to bake me tree cookies. 


Candy Cane Hand Sanitizer by Fortune Cookie Soap


This hand sanitizer is awesome! It smells delicious and it's actually very moisturizing for a hand sanitizer. It also has a soothing and refreshing effect, which surprised me. Very impressed! 


Aah Bath Soak by Wash 


This smells absolutely amazing. It contains epsom salt, dead sea salt, eucalyptus, and spearmint essential oils. I also love that this is a larger sample, so instead of getting maybe one or two uses out of it, it'll last an entire week. 


Whitelighter Eye Shadow by Brija Cosmetics 



I definitely wouldn't use this as a full-on eyeshadow, but I think this will be perfect as an inner corner highlight! It has very high pigmentation and glides on silky smooth. I love that this is an organic product, because I don't like un-natural makeup products near my eyes for allergy reasons. When I saw it in the sample packaging I wasn't sure if I would like it, but when I swatched it I fell in love! 


FAVORITES: Decongestant salve, hand sanitizer, bath salt, and whitelighter eye shadow!

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Ipsy December 2013 In-Depth Review

After having such a wonderful experience with last month's Ipsy glam bag, I was so excited to receive the December one! And let's just say I was NOT disappointed! :) 

 * Ipsy is a subscription service for only 10 USD (including free shipping) that sends you a makeup bag filled with 5-6 (usually full-size or deluxe samples) beauty products each month. You can cancel at any time! * 

Ipsy December 2013 Theme "Celebration"


The items I received were: 
  • POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in shade "Smokin Hot" 
  • Be a Bombshell The One Stick in shade "Girl Crush" 
  • Nicka K New York Nail Color in shade "Classic Taupe" 
  • NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in shade "Iced Honey" 
  • Ardell Eyelashes in "Natural" 

POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in shade "Smokin Hot"
Once more, I gave this product away before reviewing it. Out of the two possible shades Ipsy could have sent me, I got this black/gray/white trio instead of the one I wanted- which had more natural shades. Black and gray eyeshadow just does not look good on my pale skin whatsoever! 

Retail price: 8 USD

Be a Bombshell The One Stick in shade "Girl Crush" 


I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out what this does. Apparently, it can be used anywhere - on lips as a lipstick, as a highlighter, as an eyeshadow, as a blush... I found the most useful purpose for this is as a cream blush, it's a lovely dusty pink color! This shade is just so so pretty and perfect. So glad I received this shade! On a side note, I found this to be way too drying on the lips. 

Retail price: 16 USD

 Nicka K New York Nail Color in shade "Classic Taupe"


I -love- this. It's just such a great neutral bohemian color. My style sways more to the more natural and bohemian shades, and this is just perfect. You can never have too many nail polishes! 

Retail price: 5 USD

NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in shade "Iced Honey" 


Again, being makeup illiterate, I had never heard of the brand NYX. After receiving this product, I've become a NYX fanatic. Their products are very affordable especially for college girls on a budget (me!). I received Iced Honey, a shade that I would never have thought to buy for myself, but it looks great on. It's more of a beige-y pink color instead of being pure beige which I imagined it to be before seeing it. It's sheer enough to let the beauty of your natural lips stand out, but also adds shine and a splash of color. It has a creamy and moisturizing formula and feels great on the lips! 

Retail price: 4 USD

 Ardell Natural Lash in "120 Demi"  


Too many Ipsy subscribers complain about getting lashes in their bag, but I absolutely love them. If you've never tried lashes, just TRY them! They are so much fun! I usually use one or two Ardell individual lashes on the ends of my natural lashes to give it sort of a "cat-eye" look. I loved that I received these and can't wait to try them out! 

Retail price: 3 USD

FAVORITES: Bombshell one stick, Nicka nail polish, and NYX lipstick 

Ipsy: 10 USD 
Retail price: 36 USD

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30.11.13

Julep Intro-Box (Bombshell) Review

I kept hearing about Julep from various subscription sites, but it always seemed like something that wouldn't interest me. Two nail polishes for 19.99 USD? That seemed a little steep. However when they offered a free "starter box" for only 3.99 USD (for shipping), I thought why not try it out and give my neglected nails some love? Now I see what the great reviews are all about... It's so much fun! 

* Julep is a monthly subscription service that you can change, cancel, or skip a month at any time. You can choose from five different combinations - "Boho Glam", "Bombshell", or "Classic With a Twist" that each come with two nail polishes and one-full size beauty product, or choose the "It-Girl Box" that features three nail polishes with NO beauty product, OR the "Modern Beauty" box that comes with two full-size beauty products. You can choose whichever combination you like the most for that month. Each box also comes with a free small gift in every box and quick shipping on every order! *


The items I received in this box were: 
  • Julep Nail Color in shade "Kendra" 
  • Julep Nail Color in shade "Zelda" 
  • Julep Mighty Nail and Cuticle Serum 
  • 2 Mini Julep Nail Buffers 
Even before I opened the box, I noticed the neat and cute packaging. I love that this isn't just a random assortment of stuff thrown together in a brown box. It probably doesn't matter to most people what the packaging looks like, but it makes my OCD happy so just thought I would mention it for fellow appreciators of considerate packaging. 

The Nail Colors


 "ZELDA"
This nail color is described as a "pink champagne metallic". The vibrant color really makes your nails stand out. I see this nail color looking great on just about any skin tone. It's completely lovely and feminine!

 Retail: 14 USD


"KENDRA"
This nail color is described as a "army green frost".This shade is actually a lot darker than I imagined it would be. It's SO dark green that it almost looks black. I'm not really a fan of somber dark shades, so I'll probably be gifting this away to someone who does. I just feel that it doesn't look good with pale skin. Also, sorry about the lack of quality nail painting, I just really wanted to get it over with. Also please note that I am not a nail polish professional and I suck at painting my nails.

Retail: 14 USD

The Beauty Product 


"MIGHTY NAIL AND CUTICLE SERUM"

Description: Peptides- super-charged amino acids that build keratin (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles)- are our Mighty Nail and Cuticle Serum's secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.

This nail and cuticle serum is magical. I was wary about using this because I hate the way oil feels on my hands (it seriously makes my skin crawl), but I'm so glad I tried it before giving up. You apply this to your cuticles twice daily for two weeks, then once a week for maintenance. You twist the dial at the bottom (it will click) and the serum will appear on the brush. I applied it and it felt so soothing and completely soaked into my skin. My cuticles were so dry from the winter weather and they instantly looked better.

Retail: 28 USD 

The Extra Gift


This box's free gift was two mini Julep nail buffers! I love that they sent two, I will probably be gifting one to a friend. 

Julep price: 20 USD
Retail price: 56 USD

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Ipsy November 2013 In-Depth Review

This was my first ever Ipsy glam bag and most likely the starting point to my subscription addiction! I had been on the Ipsy "waiting list" for about two months and completely forgot about it until I checked my email one day and it said my glam bag was on it's way! :) I really had no idea what to expect and what came next was very surprising.... 

 * Ipsy is a subscription service for only 10 USD (including free shipping) that sends you a makeup bag filled with 5-6 (usually full-size or deluxe samples) beauty products each month. You can cancel at any time! * 

November 2013 Ipsy Theme "Glam It Up"
The items I received were: 
  • EM Michelle Phan Lip Gallery Creamy Color Sheer Lipstick in shade "Nude" 
  • Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in shade "Hot Damn" 
  • Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in shade "Champagne" 
  • Pixi Beauty Bronzer in shade "Subtly Suntouched" 
  • Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in shade "Topaz" 
  • BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow SAMPLE in shade "Aphrodite" 
This totally blew my mind. There were so many products! Remember, I was completely new to Ipsy and only paid 10 dollars total. I thought it would only be a few little samples, nothing really that exciting. These are FIVE full-sized products and one deluxe sample! I also didn't know that you could check your glam room to see what products you would be getting... so this was completely a surprise for me. (Now I can't resist the temptation to see beforehand hahaha). 

EM Michelle Phan Lip Gallery Creamy Color Sheer Lipstick in shade "Nude"


This is a very nice lipstick. It's smooth and creamy and feels very moisturizing! The color is sheer, hence the name. However, the shade is just... unexciting. I feel like it doesn't bring anything to my lips and I usually like to have -some- color there. That being said, I'm very happy I received this product.  

Retail price: 15 USD 

Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in shade "Hot Damn"   

Okay, so I might have given this to a friend before I had a chance to review it. I hate the way bright reds look on me so I gave it to my friend Danielle who looks amazingggg in reds!

Retail price: 14 USD

Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in shade "Champagne"


This is such a lovely and wearable color. I love this so so much. I've worn it a few times and it looks stunning. I'm very happy that I received this shade considering the other possible shade was silver (which I don't wear at all). 

Retail price: 13 USD 

Pixi Beauty Bronzer in shade "Subtly Suntouched"  


I'm kind of makeup illiterate so I had never used a bronzer before. I had no idea what to do with this so I'm very happy I got it so I could figure it out. After looking up various tutorials, I learned how to use bronzer and this is the absolute most perfect shade for me. It looks great without being overbearing. 

 Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in shade "Topaz" 


The only kind of eye pencil that I use is your standard black one, so I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do with this. I'm sure a silver eyeliner has a purpose somewhere, and I'm still trying to find it. This pencil is very smooth and glides right on, not to mention it's HUGE. It has great quality with high pigmentation, it's just the wrong shade for someone like me.

Retail price: 14 USD 

BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow SAMPLE in shade "Aphrodite"


This is probably one of my favorite things included in this month's bag. This is a baked eyeshadow and it's SO pigmented. "Aphrodite" is a very crimson color. I loved this so much that I immediately went online and bought the entire palette. This is a relatively inexpensive product (I paid 10 USD for the whole palette), but it's just amazing quality. I'm also a space nerd and amateur astronomer so I thought the whole concept was pretty amusing! 


Retail price: -sample- 


FAVORITES: Nailtini nail polish, Pixi bronzer, and BHC baked eyeshadow! 

Ipsy price: 10 USD
Retail price: 56 USD

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