Make up review

I've been doing this whole Ipsy thing for a while now and even though my make up drawer is overflowing and I've come up with ten different ways to repurpose my Ipsy bags, I can't seem to end my subscription. I mean how much make up is enough? How much is too much? I don't know the answer to that, but I don't think I'm at that point yet, either!
I spent a little time over the weekend reorganizing (and rediscovering) my make up and I felt like it was about time for another beauty blog. I will primarily go over the last two months of my Ipsy goodies but I'm also going to highlight a couple key pieces that I recently fell back in love with. What is Ipsy you ask? It's a subscription service that has you fill out a personalization quiz, then for $10 a month it sends you 4-5 makeup products (some samples, but Ipsy guarantees at least one full sized product) and a cute makeup bag to put it in. Then once you get the bag you can rate what you got to further customize your experience AND all of the makeup lines that participated that month give you a discount on a future purchase! The typical discount is 15-25% your next order, or a free gift with your next purchase.
Without further ado I will dive into my October Glam Bag.

In October the theme was Beauty Candy, the make up came in a cute bright blue bag and I received a hair cream, hand cream, eye shadow, cleansing cloths and lip gloss. Ipsy valued the bag at $30. Overall I would say this bag is a success and well worth the $10 I paid, especially because of the hair cream and face wipes.

ECRU Acacia Protein BB Cream - $30

This leave-in protein cream smells heavenly. My sample lasted me about two weeks and I would definitely say I like it just as much as the It's A 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin Spray I normally use. The kicker is the pricetag. I don't think I'll shell out $30 for 4.2 ounces when It's A 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin is $18 for 4 ounces. Although through Ipsy I am offered 20% off, so we'll see if I give in and spend $6 more for two extra ounces..

Figs & Rogue Hand Cream in Mango Mandarin - $6.37

This lotion smells good and hydrates well. I stashed it in my husband's truck so that I have a decent lotion in there when I need it, but I don't think I love the mango scent enough to start buying in bulk.

Jesse's Girl Mineralized Baked Shadow Powder in Plum Frost - $3.99

As far as eye shadows go, this is middle of the pack. It's an average eye shadow that's offered in a few metalic colors. I will probably only pull this out once a month or so, when I feel like adding a little purple to my routine. With a base it stays on well for only $4.

Skyn Iceland Mini Glacial Cleansing Cloths - $15

LOOOOOVE THESE! Seriously, they're one of the few face wipes that actually leave your face feeling refreshed, which is good since they're a few bucks more than your standard make up removing wipes in the cosmetic section. This is the second product I've tried from Skyn Iceland and I have been a huge fan of both; they do a phenomenal job of cleaning your face without being harsh or drying out your skin.

Starlooks Lip Gloss in Guilty Pleasure - $13

This is basically your standard natural lip gloss, I usually pair it with a darker lip liner/lipstick to tone them down a bit. It's not terribly sticky but it has the typical short wear-time that any gloss does.


In November the theme was Girl Meets Glitter; I received an eye shadow base, liquid eyeliner, lip stain, hair spray and an airbrush highlighter (that can be used without the airbrush tool) all in a silver sparkly make up bag.

Ipsy valued this bag at $40. Like every month so far, this bag has been worth the $10 investment. I didn't have any stand out favorites this month but the eye base, eye liner and hair spray are great replacements for go-tos that have been running low.

Be A Bombshell Eye Base In Submissive - $14

This eye base has a nice, light color that will add a little sparkle without throwing off the color of the eye shadow that you put on top of it. It has decent staying power and doesn't crease, hallelujah! The only downside is that it's really hard to get out of the jar and onto a make up brush, so I find myself using my finger to apply it. Cue the middle school flash back!

Elizabeth Mott you're so FINE liquid Eye Liner - $17.99

When I looked at this the first time I was skeptical about the applicator. I prefer slim lines 90% of the time and I just didn't think that I would be able to get the precision that I needed. I was wrong. I have zero problem getting a super thin line and with a twist of the wrist and a slightly different angle it's just as easy to get a bold line. There is a little bit of sparkle in this eye liner; I only notice it when it catches the light. This eye liner claims that it is water proof and it is definitely smudge proof throughout the day, however when it comes time to take it off it peels off in clumps which I find a littl weird.

J. Cat Beauty Wonder Lip Paint In Red Potion - $4.99

This lip stain is DARK. Like, only using three little drops on my lips makes them the color of a deep red wine. If you're a fan of incredibly deep reddish purple lips then you'll love this color. I'm not really a fan of dark lips, so I tried to add a nude gloss on top and still haven't found a shade that I really like. On top of that, I don't know how this is categorized as a stain. I mean it isn't sticky like a gloss but it doesn't actually stain your lips. After expiramenting with it I was able to wipe it right off after a couple minutes with no residual color on my lips. Lucky me, since I wasn't feeling the color but it loses the appeal of actually buying a stain if it can be wiped off and will smear on your drink or anything you touch with your lips. I doubt I'll be using this product and I won't be buying any stains from J. Cat Beauty.


Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hair Spray - $8.50

Hair spray is hair spray, right? Wrong. If you've ever had a job where your hair is required to be a certain way or if you enjoy styling your hair I'm sure you've realized that not every hair spray will give you the look and hold you want. I usually use a Nexus hair spray because it has a firm hold and doesn't leave my light colored hair looking crunchy or greasy but this hair spray is definitely giving my standard go-to a run for it's money. It smells fabulous and has passed the test so far; I just have to see how it holds up some curls before I decide to make the switch.

Temptu S/B Highlighter In Pearl Pink - $27.50

Hmm. This highlighter is airbrush quality and most makeup fanatics L.O.V.E. it. That being said, for your average girl it's a little much. It's fun to have a sample to play around with but I definitely won't be spending $27.50 to add a pearl pink shimmer to parts of my face.

As always, I recommend that you check out Ipsy, you can follow the link HERE and learn about it and sign up. Signing up from the link I provided gives me points that go towards free make up. No Pressure ;)
If you aren't ready for that type of commitment then here are a few things that I fell back in love with once I found them in the darkest reaches of my make up drawer!

 Cover Girl Outlast All Day Lip Color in Celestial Coral - $8.49

This lip stain is fabulous. I remember buying it back in college and it was the first stain I ever purchased so I tried it out but wasn't sure what to expect. Now that I've tried a handful of others ones I think it was a great find. It goes on a little thicker than some other stains that I've tried in the past, but it stays on really well. I completely lost the clear bottle (essentially an optional chapstick topcoat) but I think that the color looks and lasts better when you don't add anything on top of it.
I bought this shade because if you're like me and have the lightest practically invisible lips it gives you a great natural looking lip that's a little more visible and full. Not to mention, you don't have to worry about that awkward stage 3-4 hours in when the inside starts to wear off and your lips are ombre in a very unflattering way.

Buxom Stay There Eye Shadow in Collie - $18

This has been my go-to eye shadow base for the last two years. The first time I bought it I was in Sephora and had a gift card, which was the only reason I could justify buying a tiny eye shadow for $18. After using it as often as I have and being as happy as I am with it, it's $18 I gladly part with because I know that it's shimmering champagne look and wonderful staying power are a sound investment for anybody's make up collection. They have darker and bolder colors for the more daring, but I prefer Collie because I can add any color on top of it and it just adds a slight shimmer.