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

Lancome’s LA Base Pro Review & Makeup Haul

2 / 25 / 155 / 6 / 15

When isn’t it a good time to do a makeup haul? Well, I can’t think of a better time than to celebrate my little sister’s February wedding. I’m the Matron of Honor and will be doing her makeup and mine! While my mum was getting her eyes done at the Lancome counter, of course I had to purchase a few items too.

What really convinced me to splurge was the gift promotion they were having. If you spent $35, you’d receive a bag filled with makeup goodies that totaled up to about $70! I remember when I was a little girl going to the mall with my mum when she purchased Lancome makeup. As one of their promotions, they would give you a loaf of French bread and a tote bag. Looking back, it seems so strange to give out a loaf of take-home-to-bake bread with purchase, but it solidified the idea that Lancome was a French brand! I stopped writing this post to call my mum and ask her about it. She began laughing as we reminisced. She said that when she’d get her makeup from the booth, we’d always have a meal that went with French bread that evening! How neat! Long gone are the days when you receive a loaf of bread with purchase, but the company always has gift promotions that include makeup bonuses!

For the main item, I purchased a primer that I’d been wanting to try for awhile: the LA Base Pro.

This primer from Lancome is designed to help your makeup look perfect for photos (and in person). What really sold me on it was the texture. The product feels like silk and isn’t sticky or thick. La Base Pro is supposed to help your makeup look more vibrant while helping it stay put! I especially liked the products ability to diffuse light, reducing lines and imperfections. I have pretty large pores and have tried a lot of different primers. What this product did was smooth my skin and help it look much less oily during the day. Pricey at $42, this is an item I consider a beauty investment.

[Update]

I was pleased with the primer and used it on my sister for her wedding (and on me!) I noticed that her pores looked a lot better when it was applied and that her foundation went on much smoother. It was hard to measure how well it made her makeup last because she usually doesn’t wear foundation.

My skin, however, looked really great during the wedding and during photos. I kept some concealer and a beauty blender in my purse and only needed about two touch-ups. I have acne and uneven skin tones. The base really helped create a smooth surface for my blush and bronzer. Since I’ve been wearing LA Base Pro I’ve even gotten a few compliments on my skin. Muahah…if they even knew!

Included in the gift was a choice of makeup bag and many other goodies. Here’s a breakdown!

I picked out this adorable makeup bag with my gift. There were two others to choose from but I loved the stripes and teal color. It reminded me of Kate Spade. The zipper has a flower with a crystal. Fannncy.

Definicils Mascara in black

I almost purchased a full size of this mascara, but I’ll be honest, I’m waiting for Benefit’s Roller Lash mascara which is coming out at the end of February. I always seem to have trouble with my bottom lashes. Mascara rubs off and gives me raccoon eyes. I told my mum this and she said that she was in love with Definicils and it doesn’t smear. When our friend (a Lancome rep) brought out the primer, I was sold…but I was happy to get a sample of this in my gift. Mum was right: the product stays on and doesn’t rub. I’m impressed. I like this better for my lower lashes than my holy grail mascara: Benefit’s They’re Real. Mixing both products seemed to give off the best results. Definicils on my bottom and Benefit’s on the top.

Although mum said she liked Definicils, a few friends talked her into trying the newest mascara from Lancome: Grandoise. I tried hers and liked it. The curved “swan neck” applicator helps you get every individual lash.

Bi-facial Makeup Remover

This product is a holy grail for many makeup addicts! I’ve never purchased a full size because I always get them free in bonus gifts. Right before my sisters’ wedding, I used this to clean my beauty blender. Let me tell you, it worked phenomenal. The makeup that had been inside the sponge grossed me out. I kept pouring the makeup remover on the sponge and running it under hot water until it looked like new! I haven’t yet had a chance to use the makeup remover on my face, but if it works half as good as it did on the makeup sponge, I’ll be impressed.

Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30 Cream

I always get excited about lipsticks and other items in my gift but this was a pleasant surprise. With 30 SPF, you can’t go wrong with this indulgent moisturizer. Although I’m partial to LUSH products, I’ve been using this in the morning before I put on the LA Base Pro Primer. The sample came with a lot of product and it didn’t feel too heavy on my skin. It smelled really fresh. I still prefer my LUSH moisturizer called Celestial.

Lancome Color Fever Gloss Sensual Vibrant LipSine in Hot Number

This gloss was underwhelming. Nothing too great. Just a simple lip gloss. It has little color payoff and a lot of shimmer. Although this girl loves glitter, the product just wasn’t something I got too excited about. I did, however, put some on when heading to the church for my sister’s wedding (before I did my makeup). I really love the packaging and the application wand is nice. The smell reminds me of chemicals. If you like lip shimmer that’s a little pigmented, this may be your go-to “no makeup “makeup gloss.

BLUSH SUBTIL Powder Blush in Shimmer Pink Pool

This blush rocks. The packaging is really nice and I like the mirror which makes for easy application. Blush Subtil is oil-free and is a powder blush. The shimmer is the right amount and the color is a pretty pink – perfect for my skin tone! I don’t go through blushes too quickly so I think this will last me a long time. I like applying it with a peachy lipgloss and light eye makeup for a “fresh-face” look.

Overall: It was a pricy investment.

I do love picking up products that I know will last me a long time and will help my makeup stay on longer. Honestly, I wouldn’t have purchased the LA Base Pro if it hadn’t been for the bonus items and my sisters’ upcoming wedding. (They get you with those bonuses!) I’m pleased with the product but I’m not sure how other brands would compare since I’ve never purchased a full-sized face primer. I’ve used samples of Smashbox’s Photo Finish Primer and Benefit’s Porefessional. They seem to be similar in quality but I can’t make a right assessment since I didn’t wear them as often.