Getting in touch with my girly side

Now that I have returned to the land of the free I have been rediscovering my closet and makeup drawers. 

Oh what a wonderful reunion I've had!
There's nothing quite like dressing up and heading out for sushi after being stuck in the same multicam uniforms for months..

During my closet rediscovery I have added a few more pieces-- Thank you outlet mall sales!

One of the best parts of being a grown up is having a wonderful closet full of clothes that you wont outgrow! I love being able to shop knowing that my wardrobe is already pretty awesome and anything I find is icing on the cake. It takes pressure out of shopping; unless I LOVE it, I don't get it. While I have nothing but positive experiences shopping for clothes, makeup had been a bit more challenging. Oh expiration dates, how I hate you!
Because of the non-stop travel I've done over the last two years (thanks, Army), my makeup drawers were looking a bit sad and unloved. Until my sister in law, Megan (blogger extraordinaire) introduced me to
Ipsy.
If you haven't heard of Ipsy, I suggest you check it out! For girls like me -- needing a boost in the makeup department, or a little shove to try something new it's perfect! It's also great for girls that have a good collection but like playing around with samples and trying new things.
It's $10 a month and you get a sometimes cute makeup bag that has 4-5 products in it. I've received two bags now and I'm pretty happy with it!
When you sign up you take a little makeup quiz that helps them to customize the products you receive, which helps. Then it's just a monthly surprise package in the mail with a few new goodies to try out. The first month I tried it I got a lip gloss, eye shadow, nail polish, face mask and false lashes.

The lip gloss is brighter than I normally wear, but I've already worn it 3-4 times just to mix it up! The polish was very smooth (I now recommend Zoya to anyone that paints their nails), and the eye shadow is a fun shade that I throw in the mix weekly to try a new color combo. I haven't tried the false lashes yet; I admit it may be a few months before I find a reason to. But if the only thing that came in that first bag was the face mask I would have been completely happy!

I loved the feel of this mask and it was perfect timing because I couldn't wait to scrub Afghanistan off my face!

This month I got lipstick, nail polish, eye shadow and primer.

 I love the bareMinerals lipstick they gave me. For those of you that don't know me, I'm a chapstick fiend. So, finding a lipstick that moisturizes like chapstick and doesn't have the sticky mess of a lip gloss is always a huge score. The eye shadow and primer were also wins in my book. I didn't have a primer at all so it was nice to have something to prep my face for foundation. Unfortunately the nail polish and the bag were chalked up as losses. I'm just not a fan of the bag- I'm going to see if Alexis wants to use it to store colored pencils. The polish looked like a cute springy blue on the website but then I got home and noticed the specks of color in it.. instead of a springy blue, my nails look and feel like robin's eggs.

Maybe Alexis will like that on her toes? Haha, if not it will get thrown out.

All in all- $10 a month and I enjoy the anticipation of a new set of goods to tryout and even if only 2-3 of the products are spot-on, I'm satisfied with the investment. I recommend you check it out and see if it's for you: Check Out Ipsy!
If you're skeptical, or enjoy beauty blogs I also recommend you check out Muse and Miscellany where Megan does a much better job breaking down her Ipsy bags, beauty trends and other makeup reviews!