Ipsy Glambag March Review

3 / 23 / 155 / 6 / 15

March’s Ipsy bag was themed Floral Fantasy. I loved the bag and the fun floral print for spring. For me, it seems each month keeps getting better and better through Ipsy. So proud to be a member for over two years and sending much love to Michelle Phan!

A mix of lipstick, lotion, eyeshadow, and more? I’m in love with the variety and usefulness of these items.

Eyeshadow Duo in Apricot Glow from Pixi by Petra, $4

Pixi by Petra is a brand offered at Target. I’ve tried a few items from them in my Ipsy bag and in my Allure Beauty Box. They’ve rebranded and gone from simply Pixi to Pixi by Petra. Petra is the creator of Pixi. She is from Sweden and loves all things to do with folklore and fairies. The brand originally opened a flagship store in Soho, London. Since then, it’s expanded and you can now purchase the bright products at Target and other retailers. This eyeshadow sample is a smaller version of their full size Mesmerizing Mineral Palette. This palette is $12 for a full size and comes in five different color sets. The shadow is mineral formula that’s made with vitamin E which is supposed to be good for your skin near the eyes. The sets are:

Rich Gold – gold, khaki, and moss green shades

Silver Sky – cream, silver, and smokey blue shades

Emerald Gold – emerald, copper, and cream shades

Plum Quartz – plum, cocoa, and pinky-nude shades

Copper Peach – peach, bronze, and russet shades

I really loved the eye shadows. I used them for a summer look and applied the lighter gold on my lid and the darker shade above it. The color stayed on almost all day. Of course, it wasn’t up to par with my Urban Decay shadows but lasted a long time. Not too bad for only $12 for six shades.

ACURE Day Cream, Sample Size 1 oz valued at about $10

I’m always down for trying a new lotion or moisturizer. I’m even more down if that lotion or moisturizer is organic! ACURE Day Cream transported me to sunny Florida where I tend to eat more oranges than physically advised in a given day. The citrus smell was strong but not too overpowering. I’ll admit, I didn’t read up on the product before slathering on my hands and feet. Only later, ~~when I was writing this review~~, did I realize that the product is supposed to be for your face. Either way, the formula helped my skin feel extra soft and I received compliments on the smell. According to ACURE, Day Cream has Gotu Kola Stem Cells which helps to firm you skin and fight environmental damage and free radicals. I can’t really review the use on my face, but my hands sure felt great!

skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 2 Packs Valued at $7.50

These firming eye gels were really neat to try. This is one of the reasons I love Ipsy; I wouldn’t purchase these on my own. I don’t have trouble with under eye bags or dark circles, but tried these out one night in the bath. As soon as I placed them under my eyes, they felt nice and cool. I left them on for about ten minutes and when I took them off my skin felt firmer and my eyes looked bright. It kind of reminded me of someone adding air under my eyes so that they’d poof up! Although the results were nice, I passed the other set to my grandma, who I feel will get better use out of them. For those with under eye bags, these rock. I think if I ever have kids and need to look wide awake, these will come in handy. I’m much more open to trying other products from skyn ICELAND now.

Boo-Boo Cover-Up in Medium Shade, Baby Size $10

When I saw ahead of time that I was receiving a concealer, I was nervous. My skin is hard to match and if the color isn’t right, this product is a waste. I received the Boo-Boo Coverup in the color Medium. I tried it right away and it seemed to match OK. I would much rather like the Light shade but this may work for the Summer months when I have more color from the sun. What I really like about Boo-Boo Cover-Up is that it is made to help heal blemishes while it conceals. It has ale, chamomile, green tea, tea tree oil, and vitamin E. It also came in a great size which regularly retails at $10!

Butter Lipstick in Pops from NYX Cosmetics, Full Size $6

NYX Cosmetics is my jam. Ever since I began following Charis Lincoln, or Charisma Star, on Youtube, I fell in love with their products. I was excited to see I would get one of their lipsticks in my bag. Unfortunately, the color wasn’t one I would wear a lot. I still gave it a try. The color Pops is a nudey pink. It is a few shades darker than my skin tone and matches my lips pretty well. NYX’s Butter Lipsticks are supposed to be very moisturizing and they are. I liked how it went on smooth. I didn’t like that the color seemed to come off regularly and I had to reapply it. This formula reminded me more of a colored lip balm than a lipstick. Nonetheless, I really liked it and would try other shades.

Overall: This Month’s Bag Was Pretty Good

I was sad that the concealer didn’t really match my skin tone but I really liked the lipstick. The eye gels were something I wouldn’t buy myself so that was a nice thing to try. The Pixi shadows worked really well and I used up the ACURE Day Cream. I don’t think I’ll re-buy anything except the Butter Lipstick from NYX. I still felt that for $10, it was a good deal. The entire bag was worth about $37.50. That’s over three times as much as I paid. For $10, I’ve been happy with Ipsy every time. I just began subscribing to Birch Box, so we’ll see if I can say the same for that. Also, the bag this month is adorable!

*I purchase Ipsy and Birch Box on my own. However, I have included my affiliate link so if you use it I’ll get a few points to use toward bonus items.

Benefit’s Roller Lash Mascara

3 / 18 / 155 / 6 / 15

As soon as I found out Benefit was releasing a new mascara, I put myself on Sephora’s notification list. You see, I used to never wear makeup (It’s a long long story) and was really insecure about my skin (I had acne). One day, I decided to walk into a cosmetics store in the mall (Sephora) and ask for help with mascara. A boy that I went to college with was there and suggested I check out They’re Real! Mascara. Before I knew it, he had me in the makeup chair, complimenting my red hair and asking about my family. The time spent was so special and fun that I couldn’t help but splurge on a $20+ mascara. I used it everyday and fell in love with the way makeup made me feel (confident & adventurous).

That day I stumbled into Sephora is many years ago and now I love makeup and enjoy learning about new products. I began watching Youtube videos from Michelle Phan and Kandee Johnson and signed up for Ipsy Glam Bags.

The They’re Real! Mascara made for such a good connection that I was hoping to fall in love with Benefit’s latest release: Roller Lash Mascara. So without further adieu, here’s my review of Roller Lash Mascara!

This first image is without any mascara. If you noticed, my forehead is indeed dyed red. I had my hair colored the day before and still had some residue. This also explains the lack of matching eyebrow color (my hair was previously a lot lighter).

Can you tell which eye has the product applied to? (my right, your left)

Both top lashes are applied. I did about two coats and didn’t have time to brush them through because I was running out the door.

The finished look with some spotty lipgloss (that I hated after I applied).

The Review

I’m not sure if I’m 100% sold. I’ve worn the product for about three days and can’t tell a big difference between Roller Lash Mascara and other brands of mascara I’ve used. I like the fact that the product is designed to curl your lashes, but my hair is already curly and I never have to curl my lashes because they’re long and curl upwards already. If you have trouble with lifting your lashes, this may be the product for you. Benefit’s site explains that the product has a curve-setting formula that holds for 12 hours. The wand is also different than others. As you can see in the below picture, the “Hook & Roll Brush” has little hooks that help shape and curl your lashes. I think I would’ve been happier if I had brushed through the formula, but I didn’t have time. It looked a little clumpy.

What I do really like about the product is the packaging. Honestly, Benefit has a fun, funky look and their products are always cute. The top of the mascara has a vintage curler look and is rubbery so it’s extra easy to grip.

You also get a lot of product! Even though I’m not crazy about the thickness, I read on Benefit’s website that you can use Roller Lash to curl your lashes then layer on They’re Real Mascara to add more volume. For $24, it’s not worth it for me, but for those who can’t get their lashes to curl, it may be their holy grail. I won’t be returning it, because I want to try it with They’re Real. At this point though, I may have been better off investing in Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara.

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

March Favorites

3 / 5 / 155 / 6 / 15

This month there are so many exciting new makeup items I tried and loved! There are also a few things I’m digging that I don’t (quite) own (yet).

Westside Kate Birthday Card, $6 from Crumple & Toss

This cute birthday card is perfect for a stylish pal’s March birthday! I just discovered the online stationary/gift boutique Crumple & Toss and love most everything they offer. The store also offers quirky products from Ban.do, so you know it’s right up my alley. I’ve fallen for lots of new brands just by clicking around their site. This specific card is from Sugar Paper LA.

Cedar Street Dot Lacey Wallet from Kate Spade, $178

If I didn’t already own a beautifully chic wallet from Betsey Johnson ($15-20 from TJMAXX), I may consider purchasing this polka dot wallet from Kate Spade. I’m not into designers too much, but man, I’d love to get my paws on a Kate Spade bag! This wallet has a classic look and has plenty of storage for all of my random $1 or less gift cards accumulating in my purse.

LA Base Pro Primer from Lancome, $42

I’ve tried a lot of different makeup primers but was swayed by the incredible gift offered by Lancome in February if you spent $35 or more. I’ll be honest: this stuff works. I used it for my sister’s wedding and it kept my makeup from smearing off my face and revealing my constant struggle with adult acne! Instead, my sister and I looked flawless and our skin stayed looking matte. I’ll have to post pictures of the wedding so you can see for yourself! It’s a pricey beauty investment at $42 (that’s at least 10 caramel lattes)…but you only use a dime size every day and it keeps you from reapplying even pricier foundation.

If you haven’t already (and just why not?) check out my post about this makeup primer from Lancome for even more deets.

It Girl Cuff in Party from Ban.do, $20

I’ve just recently discovered this fantastically (This IS indeed a word. I looked it up) awesome brand called Ban.do. Basically if you could sum up my style and quirky-chic lifestyle goals you could just photograph me laying in a pile of products from this company. The bright colors. The quirky sayings. The prints. The empowering message. Ohh ahh! I think it’s for the best I live at least 100 miles or more away from a place that carries their products. This still didn’t keep me from making an order for my upcoming photo shoot for the blog. I didn’t order this rose gold script bracelet but I might for another event. You can wear it along or layer it with other jewelry for a fun look.

Roller Lash Mascara from Benefit Cosmetics, $24

The new mascara from Benefit came out in late February and I ordered it from Sephora! I’ve used it a number of times and love the way it curls my lashes. The jury is still out whether I like it more than They’re Real Mascara, but we shall see. Stay tuned for a full review with pictures!

Celestial Moisturizer from LUSH, $24.95

The weather outside here in Ohio is still frightful and my skin is turning grayer and gloomier. A way I’ve been combating this is by applying moisturizer during the day when my skin is completely nekkid. I received a sample of Gorgeous moisturizer from Lush in a gift box a few years back. It changed my skin and I was dead-set on purchasing it…no matter the cost. Then I went into Lush and realized it was $89.95. Needless to say, I asked for a similar product that was more within my beauty budget. A few of the gals turned me onto Celestial after giving me a sample to try. I’ve been using it for about a year and have purchased it twice. In the summer, I don’t use it but in the winter it keeps my skin feeling super soft. It smells like sweet almond yogurt (if that’s a thing) and is made with Fresh Dove Orchid Extract which is supposed to do magic for your face. It’s made specifically for sensitive skin so that’s a plus.