Box subscriptions for the win!

Now that we have moved to the middle of nowhere, Matt and I have realized how much we relied on the comforts of living by the city. The two best things to have out here are Amazon Prime and subscription boxes!
This month I got Ipsy, and Stitch Fix and Matt got Bespoke Post.
Here's a quick run down of each of them:
Ipsy- for $10 a month you get 4-5 make up/beauty products mailed to you in a cute (most of the time) make up bag. You fill out a survey at the beginning to select your style preferences and they try to match those with the products they send you. I have been doing ipsy for a year and a half and I'm still happy with it! some months are better than others, but there are always at least two products I use that make the $10 more than worth it!
This is what I got this month:

Stitch Fix- For $20 a fix (you can make it monthly, or every 2/3 months), you fill out a style profile and a stylist picks out clothing, accessories and shoes in your size, style and budget and mail them to you! Once you get your box, you try on your 5 items, look at the style guide for them, and decide which ones you want to buy. The $20 style fee goes towards an item, so it's not wasted money AND if you love all 5 items, you get 25% off your entire order! I've only gotten two fixes so far, but I really do like what I've been getting. Below is what I got this month:

Bespoke Post- this box is for Matt. It's like a higher end birch box for men and he really likes it. Each month they send you an email of what box you will receive and if you don't like it, you can switch it out for a different one, or you can opt out of getting a box that month. The boxes have a wide range; they vary from ties, socks, and sunglasses, to bar accessories and grilling tools to office supplies, weekend bags and basically anything a guy wants or needs. It's $45 a month and Matt has been doing it for about 6 months. Here is what Matt got this month:

Basically the long and short of it, is that we love getting these things and if you're a busy person who needs a reason to enjoy checking the mail, or you're looking for a gift idea, you should check them out!

More on our interesting move later.

Donating Hair for Wigs

After having Warren my hair starting coming out at a rapid rate (as expected) and that combined with the Texas heat made me decide it was time for a change. After asking a fabulous hair stylist friend and polling a few friends I decided to go with a textured bob that falls at my shoulders.

After examining my potential new cut, I realized I would be chopping off a little over 11 inches so I decided to donate it!

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the concept, if you have hair that isn't dyed or gray and you're willing to cut off 8+ inches you can donate it to a place that makes wigs for women and kids with cancer!

There are a few different options, the most well known is Locks for Love. Unfortunately with Locks for Love you have to have at least 10 inches to donate and even worse- they charge people for the wigs they make! 

Another option (and the one I went with) is Pantene's Beautiful Lenghts. Pantene has a website (here) where it explains what they do and the hair they take. They are the first company to offer FREE wigs to cancer patients and they take pony tails as short as 8 inches! 

After I decided to go with them, I snapped a before picture:

And headed to the salon!

By the way, in the future I highly recommend you all choose the closest salon that offers scalp massages and wine. 

Heaven.

 

After explaining my desire to donate hair my stylist, Amy, cut my hair accordingly and gave me my pony tail to mail off! Don't be deterred if your salon doesn't mail hair out, it's super easy! You just make sure the hair is secured by a rubber band and dry, put it in a ziplock bag and then you're ready to put it in a mailing envelop and ship it to:

Pantene Beautiful Lenghts 

Attn: 192-123

806 SE 18th Ave

Grand Rapids, MN 55744

Then you get to go home with a great new do, and a smile, knowing you helped someone affected by cancer get a new wig! 

Baby feet no longer tangle up in my hair during play time!

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. 

Makeup for Days

It is safe to say that I have more than enough makeup to get me by.  I love Ipsy too much to cancel my subscription, even though I hardly wear anything other than eye liner and mascara these days- I blame the pregnancy fatigue on that one. Hopefully now that I'm getting my energy back I can get up earlier and I'll be more interested in actually using the awesome makup that I've been getting.
Speaking of which- I got my September bag!
Don't the contents look wonderful? I sure think so. I'm also a fan on this month's bag because it's another one that I can use for things other than makeup! The products I got this month were worth a grand total of $72, so I definitely got my money's worth (like always).

The bags aren't included in my esimate of worth, but this one is definitely a winner. Big enough to hold my phone and some makeup (duh) it's cute enough to be a statement clutch for a night out.

Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush- $17.50

If you are On the go like I am, you can never have enough makeup brushes! I have a really nice 9 piece set (that I LOVE) that stays in my bathroom for the glorious days that I have time to do my makeup there. But it's always nice to have a few extras so I can have a makeup stash in my purse and in my office for days when I need a touch up, or to put on my makeup after checking my morning emails.. lets be real, sometimes makeup before that just isn't in the cards.
This brush is perfect to keep in my office and apply/touchup eye shadow when necessary.

Briogeo Deep Conditioning Hair Mask - $26

First off- this hair mask smells delightful. That passes the first test because I don't put things in my hair that don't smell good. I'm not trying to walk around smelling like a box of chemicals!
After using it twice, my hair feels nice and soft and looks shiny after use but I haven't actually seen any improvement that lasts beyond one wash. So this is a fun product to get for free and try out, but I won't be buying a full size container.

Haikari Lipstick in Cabernet - $13

This lipstick is RED. It definitely goes on exactly as it looks, which is always good- no one likes false advertising. That being said, this shade is too red for me. There are so many girls that can pull off bright red statement lips.. I'm just not one of them. Especially since the only colors I can wear at work at nautral ones! Aside from my color issues, I felt like the lipstick was a bit dry, but after trying it a second time with some chapstick on first it felt better. I proceeded to put a nude gloss on top of it to mellow it out a bit and that worked for me. If you like RED lips, give it a try! You can always dull it down if you're a Plain-Jane like I am.

 

Pacifica Natural Waterproof Eye Pencil - $11

Eye pencils have become so hit or miss.. They range from the 80s style (think Color Pencils from Crayola that you need a lighter to help soften), to the Urban Decay eye liner I recieved a few months ago that is so soft its hard to do a fine line. This pencil is happily in the middle. It has a fine point but it goes on well. It's definitely ideal for a subtle look- especially in the Fringe (dark brown) shade I got. 

This will join the makeup brush in my office stash, and I will definitely consider buying the full size once I use this up.

Nyx Hot Singles Eye Shadow - $4.50

I got this eye shadow in Innocent, which is another name for champagne. After a few uses, I like the shadow itself, it goes on well and lasts throughout the day. However I would recommend other colors because Innocent is so light that you can hardly see it, unless you're putting it over another color to add some sparkle. If I buy any more Nyx Hot Singles Eye Shadow (which I probably will) I'll try out some darker shades.

 

Overall, this bag was another win. I know I have enough makeup but I don't see myself stopping my Ipsy subscription any time soon! Especially since the waitlist is getting longer and longer! If you want to try it out, don't wait! You can check it out HERE.

August Beauty Review

This month I felt like my glam bag took FOREVER to get here. But that's probably because Ipsy decided to show everyone their glam rooms early if they shared something on facebook. So of course, I did it and then had 3-4 extra days to wait for my shipment to get in.
Now that my bathroom is overflowing with Ipsy bags (no joke), I have been more skeptical about whether or not I should continue my subscription. It's just $10 a month and I think that it's a a fun way to try new beauty products but I also have noticed that some months are better than others and you really have to take your subscription with an open mind. If you're picky and expect to get exactly what you put on your personalized quiz every time, you'll be sorely disappointed. That being said, here is what I got this month:

A cute orange and white polka dot pencil bag. I don't have a need for a pencil bag but I might use it for something else, or let Wyatt and Alexis use it for colored pencils.. They love the March bag that I gave them to hold their crayons! Inside my bag was a sample sized mascara, eye liner, primer, blush and a full sized lip balm.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara Full Size $22

This mascara is TINY as you can see in the picture. I've used it a couple times, and the brush has very soft, long bristles that make it really easy to apply a thick even coat, however it makes precision a bit difficult so you have to be extra careful when applying. The downside is that this mascara runs at even the hint of water (or sweat) so you have to choose this for indoor days or stay vigilant in checking for smudging.

Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil Full size $19

 As you can see we've got another ultra-tiny sample in this bag. This pencil is sharpen-once-and-there's-no-where-to-hold short. That being said, it is very creamy and easy to apply but also very easy to smudge. Like the mascara you have to pick and choose which days you can wear this mascara, as it requires multiple touch-ups throughout the day. Especially if you tend to touch your eyes, like I do!

Costal Scents Forever Blush $7.95 each

 This is the third teeny-tiny sample in one bag. Not a good month, Ipsy. The first thing I noticed about these blushes is that they're too small to use my regular blush brush with! I have to be careful with it so I don't wind up with both colors on my cheek. Not that the colors are bad. The left is a very light and subtle color-  more my style but the right is a cute, sparkly pink that works well for the summer months. I guess it's a good thing it came in August because I don't know if the blush or the summer will run out first.

Dr Brandt- Pores No More Primer Full size $ 45 

This is also a sample, but it's the same (normal) size as the last Dr. Brandt sample I received, and I'm equally happy with this one. Look, feel, smell.. this primer has it all. I thought I liked primers before, but I'm fairly certain that I won't ever like another one again. Applying this felt like rubbing silk on my face. I can't even begin to describe why, but it felt awesome. It goes on so lightly but helps to smooth the appearance of your face without looking like it's a foundation (or sparkly lotion). I really don't like the $45 price tag, but when the colder months roll around and I wear more foundation (without fear of sweating it off), there is a very good chance that I'll search for a good substitute to no avail, then give in and buy a full size from Dr. Brandt.

Absolute New York- You're The Balm Grape/Green Apple duo $5.99

I think Ipsy needs to add an age category to their personalized quiz. I am a constant chapstick user and I love anything that will moisturize my lips, especially if it will add color or body to them. That being said, I am not in 6th grade! I don't want flavored lip balm! I have put my skepticism aside and tried my Green Apple lip balm 3 times. I'm happy to say that the although it does smell like green apple, it doesn't taste like it, or leave a sticky residue. However it doesn't really moisturize my lips or last very long either. I think that this is something I'll be giving to my daughter. Try again Ipsy.

All in all this Ipsy bag was an estimated $50 in value, so I got more than my $10 worth. I'll probably just use up the mascara and eye liner, stash the blush in my travel makeup bag, give away the lip balm and cherish the primer until I finish it and mope when it's gone.
So, Ipsy. $10 a month for some beauty samples. Verdict? I'll keep it.
I would rate this month as lower on the list of bags I've received but I still got a fabulous primer and some makeup essentials that I will definitely use. Oh and on top of all of that, all of the brands that come in your ipsy bag also come with discount codes and coupons to buy more! Dr. Brandt generously offered 20% off plus a free travel sized Pores No More Primer and free shipping! That Dr. Brandt coupon will definitely be worth it's weight in gold.  Hopefully next month I get a few fun things to mix it up, until then I still have plenty of products to play with.
If you haven't checked Ipsy out, click here to take a look at past glam bags and sign up!

July's Ipsy Review

This month the Ipsy theme was Sensationally Sunkissed and the products all had a light, bright, natural look. 

 These are the 5 products I got.

Models Own nail polish in Red Sea- the product retails for £5 ($8.50). This nail polish has chunks of sparkle in the opaque red polish and I'm quite certain I had a very similar polish when I was in 6th grade. 

I can't judge the entire brand on a sparkly polish, because hopefully the regular colors look nothing like this. That being said, this polish is going into my daughter's bag and I won't be buying it on my own.

Clear Clinic Labratories: Vanished Clear Spot Treatment- I received a trial size but the regular size retails for $35. I've tried it on a couple spots I noticed and it smells a bit like rubbing alcohol and dries out the area like it was rubbing alcohol (maybe that's the secret?) but I didn't notice much of a difference after use. That being said, I am glad I got this in my ipsy bag so I know that my skin probably doesn't need to be spending $35 on spot treatments! 

bareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Cream Shadow- ipsy does send a couple trial sized products each month, but seriously? 

 bareMinerals looks like they made this one-time-use size so that their make up artists could throw away a bottle after doing makeup in the mall. The real size goes for $18 at Ulta. When I put this eye shadow on, it looked and felt more like foundation to me. If you're looking for a skin colored, matte base that will let the rest of your eye shadow pop, this will do the trick. However, it won't look right if you don't put on foundation or some form of tinted moisturizer. Unless, of course, you have flawless skin. If that is the case, we all hate you.

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm - this lip balm costs $14 online. Looking at the pixi beauty website I see that they have much darker colors than they put in my bag, which is good. It goes on smooth and lasts a while but mine is so light that it just reminds me of a non-sticky, minty gloss. Hopefully the other colors add the desired tint. 

Pur~Lisse Esential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 - when I got this in my bag I thought, ugh. I do NOT need another sun screen, ipsy! I buy my own and the last one you sent was as thick as paste and impossible to rub in! But this one is true to it's name and is more of a facial moisturizer that happens to be SPF 30. At a ridiculous $55 for 1.7oz I won't be buying this moisturizer, but I will enjoy using the .5 oz that ipsy sent me! 

After testing out all 5 of my products, I have to admit that this is the first month where I don't love at least 70% of what I got. Even though that's the case, I still got more than my $10's worth with the moisturizer and 1-2 use eye shadow. I can even use this bag for just about anything because it's simple, cute and doesn't scream MAKEUP BAG!

If you haven't checked out ipsy, I still highly recommend it. After 6 months and 6 different bags I am happy with my investment and have received a lot of great products! If you're interested in ipsy click here and you can check it out and sign up! 

June Ipsy Bag

My June Ipsy bag has arrived!
This month the bag is really cute and I'm definitely digging the products I received!

This bag is spot on. They got some designer (Rebecca Minkoff) to design it and I think it's really cute. Definitely using this one for a while. 
The 5 products I got this month are: Be A Bombshell Lash Out Mascara ($15), Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray ($9), Nyx Butter Gloss ($5), Jesse's Girl Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner ($6.99) and Laneige BB Cushion ($34 for the full size).
I've tested out everything but the beach spray (my career prevents fun hair by requiring me to wear my hair in a bun) and I'm really happy, yet again! The mascara goes on well and looks really natural with just one coat, so I love it! I hate when mascara goes on so thick that it's a struggle to keep from getting clumps dramatic eyes. It is not waterproof which is another bonus for me because I'm not a fan of having to attack my eyes with a scrub brush just to clean my face AND when you wash it off it comes off in flake/clumps instead of smearing all down your face. So basically what I'm telling you is that this mascara goes on in increments so you can adjust your eye drama and when you get out of the shower you don't look like a dead clown!
The waterproof eyeliner is another great product, the tip is ultra fine so it allows me to get right along my eye lashes for a natural look, but it gets thicker at the base so you can still achieve cat eyes or bold strokes when you want to.
Nyx Butter Gloss.. I was skeptical. The word gloss is always a turn off for me because I hate sticky lips and naming something I smear on my lips 'butter' made me think of greasy fried chicken. Yuck. However I really like the texture and color of my 'Apple Strudel' gloss. It goes on well, is the least sticky gloss I've ever encountered, goes on top of lipstick well and lasts 10x longer than any other lip product I have (omitting stains). This is one of those rare products that once I use up the one I get from ipsy, I plan on getting more.
The last product that I got is the Laneige BB Cushion. What on earth is a Laneige BB Cushion, you ask? Well Laneige is a brand that is exclusively at Target (this is my first experience with them) and the BB Cushion is a little sponge with foundation that is also SPF 50. After reading the label I believe that it's just meant as a touch-up/sunscreen because it wants you to reapply it every couple hours and says to apply 30 minutes before sun exposure. If anyone else knows more about these types of products please let me know what you think! I tried it out and it seems like a great idea, especially for a fun outdoor event like a brunch or wedding where you want some coverage while still looking natural. This was only a trial size so I'll only get about 2 uses out of it, but I am sufficiently intrigued so I will be looking for similar products in the future.
I will be adding the eye liner, mascara and lip gloss to my "use all the time" makeup bag which means this was another $10 very well spent!

A quick recap for the new readers: Ipsy is a wonderful idea where you sign up, take a make up quiz that helps personalize your bags and then for $10 a month you receive a small makeup bag with 4-5 brand name beauty products that always value at far more than $10. The value normally ranges between $35-65 but back in December the goodies they got had a $90 value!
I've received 5 bags so far; I've been really happy with all of them and I highly recommend that you try it out, if you wear even the tiniest bit of makeup. Click here to check it out!

Also, as I was at the store earlier today I perused the nail and beauty section (that's nothing new) and I noticed something that definitely was new-- a coupon for $2 off any Essie nail color or nail product! It's a coupon from Essie themselves and I know they have them at Target, Walgreen's and the PX but they aren't offering it at Ulta (who also charges more for their nail polish). So if anyone else needs a few new colors for summer, now would be the time to pick them up. I believe the coupon expires at the end of August, but don't quote me on it.
If anyone has any questions about Ipsy, any of the products I got or beauty in general please let me know.

Skin Care Review with Matt

This months Ipsy bag was full of skin care products. I decided to test a few out one evening and I extended an invitation to my partner in crime to give another opinion about the products. Which really means that I coerced Matt into trying a few out with me :)

Here's what I got this month:

Being a good ol' hippy from the PNW, this was by far my favorite bag. I love the linen feel and earthy look it has! In my bag I got Sans Tan sun screen, ela-nye Hair Mask, Derma E microdermabrasion, Hey Honey face mask and Pacifica eye shadow. My oh so special guest helped me test out the microdermabrasion and face mask.

Step one: put hair in high, messy bun then take mirror selfie while waiting for Matt to join you.

Step two: wash yo' face

Which is much easier when your hair is in the previously mentioned high messy bun.

Step two-point-five: shave your face. This only applies to the dudes. Well, and some ladies. I'm not hating, do what you gotta do.

Now on to the microdermabrasion. As with the last one I tried out, it's got a nice citrus scent and a gritty sandpaper feel. This one says to rub it in for 2-4 minutes, which I did. I would recommend you rub hard if you have a tough (or hairy) face. 

P.S. I know my bed is unmade. 5am comes early, and it's hard to make your side of the bed when there's a giant laying on the other side still.

P.P.S. I also know that my towels have a tie-dye, bleached appearance. My sister doesn't know how to do laundry (and still claims that she has no idea how they got like that). Thanks, Bec.

Step three: Once you feel sufficiently scrubbed, use a warm washcloth and rinse off your liquid sandpaper and excess skin. 

Step three-point-five: get distracted and start plucking your eyebrows.. 

Voila! You now have a freshly scrubbed, squeaky clean face. 

 Now we're on to our honey facemask! 

Step one: apply moisturizer to a clean face. I prefer to use my nutrogena face lotion because it's hydrating, smells good and has SPF 15. The last part is the best since we all know how good I am at applying sun screen to myself. 

Step two: apply a coat of the honey mask to your face. This is the tricky part because the mask is clear and you need to put enough on that you'll be able to peel it off once it dries.

Step three: wait.

The website recommends 15-20 minutes, so Matt and I plopped onto the couch and watched a baseball game for 20 minutes. 

By 15 minutes in the mask got HARD. Like recently-botoxed-face hard!

Once your face feels sufficiently paralyzed, you get to peel your mask off. 

Step four: shed your newly acquired snake skin.

For all you dudes out there- I recommend you use more of the mask than the ladies. The mask was less effective on Matt's burly, rugged, man-beard. 

Then you peel, and peel, and peel.

By the end you'll have a sizeable pile of lizard skin (it's actually honey mask, don't freak out).

And you'll have a clean, smooth, slightly tingly, fresh face! 

I recommend the Derma e microabraision. It's a nice way to exfoliate and it's much cheaper than the dr Brandt brand I tried last month. 

Although the honey mask was fun to test out, I won't be spending $35 on another bottle. I didn't see enough of a result and according to Matt it's 'too tedious'.

I have also tried my Pacifica eye shadow. The colors were pretty neutral, but they went on smooth and lasted all day. Added bonus- the Pacifica products are vegan and not tested on animals. 

I am quite happy with the first three products ipsy sent me. Sans Tan sunscreen, however, is not as awesome as my other goodies. It's plain old sun screen. Think summer time when you were 8 and mom rubbed you down with that thick, greasy, liquid sunscreen and you'll know what it feels like. It's not light and smooth like my face lotion, nor is it a cool powder or spray form. Please don't put that boring stuff in my bag again, ipsy. 

I haven't tried the hair mask yet, but even without trying it, I can easily say that this was another successful month for ipsy. For those of you that haven't checked it out or signed up, click here and do it!