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February 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Review Value

Howdy, yall! I received my first Ipsy glam bag in the mail and thought Id just pop in a picture for those of you who might wonder what it is all about.

Ipsy was created and co-founded by Michelle Phan (who recently launched em Cosmetics) and is a subsciption service that costs $10 (+ tax) per month. You receive at least five deluxe samples from different cosmetic and skincare brands in a cute little make-up bag!

Ive been wanting to sign up for a long time and I finally pulled the trigger last month. I was so excited when I got it in the mail! It came about a week and a half ago so Im a little late to the party.

I received the following items:

Plump Pout Mini by pop Cosmetics (4 oz.) in Fuchsia Freesia ($16~ value)
Zoya Nail Polish in Dot ($9~ value)
tini Beauty Eye Shadow + Base in Violet ($18~)
skyn Fresh Start Mask with Ice Age Mud [one packet] ($6.50~ value)
J. Cat Beauty False Eyelashes in EL 05 ($4~ value)

Total value: $53.50

Quick Review:

Plump Pout Mini by pop Cosmetics (4 oz.) in Fuchsia Freesia  - I like the color and wear time, hate the smell. Seriously bugs!

Zoya Nail Polish in Dot - The color is really pretty but I found it super difficult to apply. It was uneven and streaky. Maybe my bottle just needs a little bit of nail polish thinner? It dried well but it took a while, probably because of the multiple coats! Im going to thin it just a tad to see if that helps. I was kind of underwhelmed.

tini Beauty Eye Shadow + Base in Violet - I swatched it on my hand and it was a gorgeous color, but it didnt seem tacky enough to be a real base. I think it would be great for those no make-up days all over the lid.

skyn Fresh Start Mask with Ice Age Mud [one packet] - This is a two step mask. First you spread the mud and then you spread the gel to activate it. It felt really good going on, did burn/tingle a little bit and my skin was pretty red after. It said to finish with a toner so I used witch hazel and my skin felt really dry, like unable to move dry, so I patted some moisturizer on my face. My skin felt really smooth after but I didnt feel like it was "less dull".

J. Cat Beauty False Eyelashes in EL 05 - These look crazy intense and I have super small eyes. I think they are really gorgeous though and the price seems really good!

Overall, Im really stoked with the range of products I received, their price points and the overall value of the bag. I know that every month wont be a hit but I think Ipsy is a solid choice for a subscription service!

Have you signed up for a subscription service or do you have Ipsy? What are your thoughts?


PS. If youd like to sign up, use my link and I get referral points! Id appreciate it. :)

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February Challenge Howd I do

Februarys challenge was to start on the road of health and fitness! February was a short, fast month and while I could have done more, I am so happy with what I have done. I find that for everyone who begins to veer towards a healthy lifestyle, they kind of drag their feet at first. There may be some internal whining. A whole lot of being too tired to go to the gym... rewarding themselves with something high fat (like a milkshake?) after a long day.

Or maybe that is just me.


Slowly, I start to make changes. It helps me to ease one healthy thing at a time instead of just suddenly changing my entire life. My anxiety doesnt allow for that. Here are a few things I did to start being healthier.

-Moved sodas to weekends only and being more selective about getting a soda when we eat out for dinner.

-Drinking more water. A LOT more water. I forget all the time, so my co-workers yell at me to drink water. I love them.

-Replacing "normal" meals with a veggie-loaded salad with healthy dressing. I had moments where I literally hates salads, but I start eating them and Im like this is soooooo yummy!!! Im weird.

-Eating salads with every meal and eating the salad first.

-Switching my coffees to non-fat; working on having less coffees. Ive switched back to the 200 calorie Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccinos, which I keep in my fridge.

-Remembering to move around at work. I make sure I take time to go for short walks around campus to move my body.

-Being more active at home. This means either cleaning when I get home, going for a walk, roughhousing with Shepherd, cooking. Basically, having less sit and relax couch time.

-Getting to the gym or outdoors more. Ive gone to the gym more, have played basketball in our cul-de-sac with my family and just by myself. Catching my own rebounds is hard work, yall!

-Smaller plates, smaller meals. Often times at home, Ill just use a salad plate to put my food on. Its smaller so the portions seem huge but theyre really not. Also, when we go out. Ill separate what I want to eat and what I want to save for the next days lunch - and I ONLY order things I can break up into two meals. My portions get smaller and smaller as my stomach shrinks.

You all know that I am not into crash diets and weight loss, just like weight gain, is a journey. I want to take care of my body, treat it right so that I live right. Bryan and I were talking about all the hikes and trails we want to do during our upcoming vacation in Hawaii and I couldnt help but think what if I cant do them? The negative self talk came in. "Im big and out of shape. Maybe I shouldnt try to do those kinds of hikes."



It made me so sad to think that the extra weight I am carrying is really limiting me and the things I want to do in life. No way. I dont care what stage Im at in Hawaii, Im doing those hikes. My extra fat is not going to define my activities. I do what I want.

In all, Im happy with my progress and even more happy with my mindset. Cheekbones, Im coming for ya!

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February

Card shark.  Lily knows how to play UNO.  Step one to building myself a Euchre partner.





Lily "braided" my hair for me.  Joel attempted to show her the "right" way to which she promptly dismissed him, telling him "Daddy, I KNOW how to braid."

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