IPSY’S JULY GLAM BAG

August 2, 2016August 3, 2016Leave a comment

“We’ve cranked up the cool on Ipsy.com with new insider how-to tips, tricks and videos – everything you need to know to master your summer beauty.”

The heat is on with this month’s “Hot Summer Nights” glam bag. Below you will find all of this month’s products along with my reviews. Did you receive a glam bag this month? Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what your favourite product was!

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The Balm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Trimony in Matt Kumar
I was thrilled to see another product by The Balm Cosmetics in my bag. I have previously received their lip colour (more here) and absolutely love it! My admiration for this product is no different – it’s a smooth and long wearing eye shadow that, although is a bit too dark for the eye looks I usually apply, makes a killer shade of blush.

Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer
Although this serum leaves my skin feeling smooth and fresh, there wasn’t enough in this sample to use it long enough to notice any major changes in my skin tone. But I will say that my foundation went on much smoother, and it was easier to blend over problem areas (where I have healing blemishes). I would definitely be interested in using this for longer to see the lasting effects.

Avene Thermal Spring Water
With temperatures soaring this month, seeing this thermal spray in my bag was a welcomed refreshment! This spray is made for sensitive skin which means no agitating, strong scents – just refreshing, pure thermal water. This product did wonders for my very thirsty, sunburnt skin.

BeFine Food Skin Care
I’ll be honest with you – I am not a huge fan of night creams even though I know they are great for your skin. Why? A lot of night creams tend to be thick and I don’t like the feeling of something heavy sitting on my face. But this cream was different. It absorbed nicely into my skin and didn’t leave behind a greasy film afterwards.

Vasanti Cosmetics Professional Eyeshadow Brush
What can I say? I love my make up brushes! This brush was a welcome addition to my ever-growing brush collection I have received from Ipsy. The bristles are super soft and my eyeshadow glides on with ease. I especially love the rounded tip – creating pretty eye looks with this brush is a cinch!

For more information on these products, or where to buy, visit the links above. To start receiving a monthly Ipsy glam back of your own, click here.

MY STYLE: TOP 5 LIPSTICKS

July 29, 2016July 29, 20161 Comment

After years of trying to avoid it, I had to give in. I finally bought something from Sephora! If you know me, I can probably guess what you’re thinking: how could a makeup junky like myself go her entire life without every buying something from Sephora? Easy. I knew if I stepped in there, I would be saying goodbye to my budget for essential things. That’s why I tend to favour fun, makeup subscriptions like Ipsy. You get beautiful brands at a budgeted price. But recently, there was an item I just HAD to get and it was only available at Sephora so I had to make the plunge (more on this magical makeup purchase in a later post).

All this talk about makeup got me thinking that I should really share some of my fave beauty items on the blog. Aside from my subscriptions, I haven’t posted much about makeup, despite it being something I love to get creative with and use every day. So with today being National Lipstick Day, I thought this would be the perfect post to start with. Without further ado, I give you my top 5 lipsticks:

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1. NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Pink Lust
I first tried this product after I received it in an Ipsy bag and was instantly drawn to the colour – it was bright and bold, and knew it would make a statement. And after using it just once, I was hooked! For a cream lipstick, this product has some serious staying power. Naturally, I went out and bought 3 more shades.

2. Covergirl Outlast Lip Stain in Everbloom Kiss
When lip stains were all the rage a few years ago, I jumped on the bandwagon and gave this brand a whirl. I thought it would be the perfect addition of colour when I wanted to keep my look more casual – and it was! It leaves me with the perfect hint of pink and doesn’t dry out my lips. Tip: Use this product as a base under lipsticks that fade easily.

3. Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Unapologetic
I picked up this colour on a whim while helping my mom choose some new makeup. She swatched this shade on her hand, didn’t like it for herself, but I couldn’t help thinking it would be a pretty hue for me! This balm glides on super smoothly, has a minty fresh scent, and is the perfect pink for summer.

4. Essence Cosmetics Longlasting Lipstick in Wearing Only A Smile
Essence Cosmetics is one of my latest and greatest finds. This brand originally caught my eye because of their fun nail polish shades, but it wasn’t long before I was moving onto other products in their line and ended up going home with a lipstick. This shade is my “I-want-to-wear-makeup-but-don’t-feel-like-putting-it-on” lipstick. It’s the perfect nude shade for a casual, everyday look, and with a price of only $2.99, you can’t go wrong!

5. The Balm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Sincere
This product was yet another wonderful Ipsy find that I have grown to love. First of all, how cute is the name?! Based on that alone, I was already a fan. But in all seriousness, this lipstick is amazing! It goes on effortlessly and stays put for hours. I would call this shade a dark neutral (at least for my skin tone), so it’s one of my go-to choices in the fall and winter months.

Are any of these choices one of your faves, too? Or maybe you have a go-to shade that I haven’t mentioned. Let me know your top pick in the comments!

IPSY’S JUNE GLAM BAG

July 12, 2016July 12, 20161 Comment

“Misfits. Rulebreakers. Bad ass babes. The riot starts this June. We’re hitting the streets with serious sizzle and signature looks. Coloring outside the lines is encouraged.Sitting on the side of the lines is not.”

This month’s “Rebel Rebel” Ipsy Glam Bag is all about making your own rules, and sometimes breaking them. Below you will find all of this month’s products along with my reviews. Did you receive a glam bag this month? Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what your favourite product was!

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Formula X Nail Polish in Wingwoman
I was so excited to see another polish by Formula X in my bag! This was the third time receiving one of their pretty shades, and although I would usually be a bit disappointed in receiving duplicate products from Ipsy, all three have been different colours. This little bottle goes a long way, and the high quality of the polish means you can expect a chip-free manicure for days.

Seraphine Botanicals Happy Hibiscus Blush
I love when my makeup products have dual uses, so I was thrilled to see this cute blush compact also included a mirror! At first, I was worried that the colour would be a bit too dark for me, but it has a sheer quality to it that allows you to layer until you find your desired shade.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Fireball
Finally! Ipsy hooked me up with a bright and fun colour for the summer! This peachy-gold shimmering eyeshadow is absolutely gorgeous, goes on super smooth, and (as a fun bonus) transitions to a pink hue depending on the light. This was the first time every trying an Urban Decay product, even though this brand has been around for years, and it definitely won’t be the last!

Royal & Langnickel MODA Crease/Smudge Brush
If you’ve been following my Ipsy reveiws for a while now, you’ll now how much I love getting brushes. This beautiful brush is a brand new product from Royal & Langnickel and I was instantly drawn to its bold, bright colour. It also makes my morning makeup routine a breeze – one side blends my shadow perfectly, and with a quick flip, the other side fills in my creases.

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray
I left this review until the very end because I was very disappointed when I pulled this product out of my Ipsy bag. Many months ago, I received a beach spray product by another company, and it did nothing for my hair – my hair is too thin and too short to get good results. So, I rated it poorly in my Ipsy profile thinking I would never receive this product again (isn’t that what their rating function is for??). I was wrong. I should have prefaced this review by saying that I LOVE Marc Anthony products. I have both received them in previous Ipsy bags and bought them on my own. But once again, this particular product just wasn’t for me.