Showing posts with label value. Show all posts
Showing posts with label value. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

The Value of A Moment

The Value of A Moment


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When I go through major life changes, I tend to get nostalgic for the past. Am I the only one who does that? Probably not. But its a ritual of mine. I seek out memories that stir up those good emotions, feeling loved, safe, happy and I surround myself in them while continuing to charge forward into the unknown.

I have a few memories that I recall every time and one in particular reflects on time spent with my Vavo. My dads mom spoke very little English. Half the time she did not understand what we were saying and would just shrug her shoulders and shake her head.

I think in that moment she was silently cursing my parents and the fact that they didnt teach us Portuguese. Maybe Im just projecting.

Anyways, I miss her. I miss her pats on my shoulder. She was the only grandmother that was close to us as kids. She was at every function. I remember being young and going to stay with her on the weekends. I would always be upset that I had to "babysit" Vavo. But Id get there and wed watch shows and shed give me her diabetic-friendly cookies. Id heat us up dinner and ultimately fall asleep on her leather couch. Shed always put one of her stale smelling afghan blankets on me and go to bed. 

Those are precious moments now. Even though I would get mad at my parents as a kid, I had no way of knowing that I would recall those memories as an adult during times that I felt unsettled and apprehensive about my life. I think that is how it is with everything. Bryan and I have friends and family members going through specific life stages and we remember going through them ourselves. We see now the steps we took to create a bad situation and know what we should have done instead. To see people we love making some of those tell-tale choices is heartbreaking for us. We want to shake their shoulders and try to reason with them. Look at the big picture! You have no idea the mess you are making, we know, weve been there. 

Instead, we just wait and watch. Praying that they get through it the way we did. Praying we get through what were going through now the way people before us did. Its all a cycle. In my old age (har har), Ive learned that once these events pass you by, they are gone. Youll wish for them back. Youll want to hold on to that moment or recreate ones that you stupidly missed. 

Ive only been on earth for (almost) 27 years. In that short time I have missed a lot of experiences because I was too busy focusing on something else. Im trying not to do that even though Im in a really busy season of life. I know that while Im desperately attempting not to miss certain moments that Ill miss other ones. Its a hard balance to strike.

How do you decide what is worth all your attention and what isnt?

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Tuesday, December 6, 2016

August 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag Review Value

August 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag Review Value


I completely forgot to schedule this when I delayed it and so there it sat, un-posted. I didnt even think to check. Blogger fail!

Are you ready for another Ipsy Glam Bag review?! I feel like I havent done one of these in such a long time. You know Ive been a long-time subscriber of this beauty service and I still love it. Sure, some months are better than others but for $10 (plus tax) it cant be beat!

Lets get started:


Product: Marc Anthony - Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco Oil Treatment -
Price: $7.99 - Full size is 4.05 oz
Value: $.13 (Sample is .07 fl oz)

Review: Ill tell you straight up that I used this one whole time and Ill be giving it away to someone else. The smell is ridiculously overpowering and its manly which typically Im fine with but jeez. It needs to go to someone where it wont trigger migraines! I also didnt notice my hair being any softer the next day (which is how I used it).

Product: La Fresh Group Good Night. Night Cream
Price: $40.00 - Full size $40.00 is 1.7oz
Value: $11.76 (Sample is 0.5oz)

Review: Ive used this three times and while the smell initially is a bit unpleasant it dissipates pretty quickly. I liked the way my skin felt in the morning and I didnt feel like I woke up super oily! I like it, but I dont think Ive seen enough to actually be really excited and go out and purchase it. Im going to keep using it and see if I can tell a difference!

Product: Skone Cosmetics Luxe Doubler Eye/Lip Pencil in Wine - Full Size
Price: $12.00
Value: $12.00

Review: Other than their website being absolutely ridiculous (maybe they werent prepared for the Ipsy traffic?) this is a nice LIP PENCIL. I say that extremely specifically because I tried to use this on my eyes today and I immediately covered it up with black. This is not a wine color, its pink. Im dead serious. It comes out PINK. Its a pretty, deep pink, but pink nonetheless. I did an ombre lip with the lipstick sample I received in this bag: 


Product: noyah Natural Lipstick in Desert Rose
Price: $18.00 - Full Size is 4.5g
Value: $5.60 (Sample is 1.4g)

Review: Ive had this before in a deep burgandy color and it was okay. I find this pink to be way more wearable. I layered it over the pencil to create an ombre effect on the lips, which I think was really cute! Unfortunately this is the only picture I got of it, but it gives you an idea. Sorry for the wacky lighting! This is a nice lipstick, but I find that it leaves your lips REALLY FAST, so touch ups are frequent, but its pretty! Im not sure its $18.00 pretty but its pretty.



Product: Doll 10 Beauty HydraGel Blush in Flirt
Price: Full Size is $16.00
Value: $16.00 (Sample is Full Size)

Review: I used this cream blush on the same day that I did the ombre lip. I really liked it! It was very pigmented but blended out well. I set it with a Laura Gellar blush and it lasted all day! Unfortunately, the lighting at work really washes me out and I snapped the one below at the end of the workday. Im sorry I didnt make a point to take a better picture!! (Also, by then I had switched to Maybellines Matte lipstick in Daringly Nude). Trust me when I say my cheeks looked healthy all day. In all honestly blush doesnt stay on me usually, but this cream blush really made it last. I was so happy about it! Ill definitely keep an eye on this brand for sales, because $16.00 is just a tad too pricey for makeup. I also want to use it more to make sure that it doesnt cause any skin issues. So far, so good!



The big question: what was the value of the bag! This month it was actually a great value of $45.49. Especially when you consider that I only pay $10.75 a month to get new beauty products! That means that I got $34.74 in free product this month and I actually like most of the products! I still think that Ipsy is hands down one of the best beauty subscriptions out there and I recommend it all time! If you havent signed up yet, I have great news! There is no waiting list if you sign up right now. If you are ready to dive in, will you use my referral link? I receive points that I can use toward product and I would so appreciate it!







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Friday, December 2, 2016

February 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Review Value

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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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Ipsy September Glam Bag Review! Review Swatches and Value!

Ipsy September Glam Bag Review! Review Swatches and Value!


*This post contains affiliate links. A small percentage, stipend or credit helps support my blog without any additional charge to you. Thank you!
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Oh, hi.

Work and school have literally kicked my ass the past few weeks. Ive been such an Eeyore lately and a few nights ago, my beloved husband says, "You know... You havent blogged lately." and I said "I know. Ive just been such a downer. I dont want to drown my blog in my sorrows when I have no solutions to them... especially cause Im not READY to have solutions to them. I just suck." And he pauses for a moment and says ".....Maybe you need to write again so that you can work through it all."

He knows, as I do, that Im a better person when I write. Seriously. Its no secret that my mind is clearer and things are revealed when I write. Which is why I hate doing it. Its emotionally exhausting even THINKING about writing for me. I cant handle emotional exhaustion on top of physical and mental exhaustion from work and school. Facing my never-ending issues is just too much.

BUT..... You know what is NOT emotionally exhausting? MAKE-UP.

Oh make-up, how I love thee. I wish I could just play all day long with make-up.

The only problem is that you only have so much face. You get what Im laying down?

ANYWAYS, today Im going to go over last months Ipsy Glam Bag!  Because I am nothing if not timely. I took these photos so long ago and I never even looked at them. Hopefully I did an okay job...



Heeey! Not too bad. The September 2014 Glam Bag was themed Street Style. It was a little edgy and grungy and I liked it a lot. For those of you that may not know, Ipsy is a beauty subscription service that costs $10 a month. A subscriber receives four to five deluxe size samples (with the occasional full size thrown in!) and a cosmetic bag monthly. 

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What: Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss by Cailyn in Basic Instinct
Value: $19
Review: The first item I pulled out of the bag was this Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss by Cailyn. Its a very smooth formula, not sticky at all and is a really pretty color. This is a full size lip gloss and Ive used it a bunch the past month! It is extremely opaque. Here is a swatch (excuse the Fitbit): 



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What: Crown Brush Deluxe Infinity Shadow and Crease Brush Duet
Value: $6.99
Review: One of our previous Glam Bags had a Crown Brush Shadow Brush in it and I wasnt wowed. It wasnt very soft and it was so large that I couldnt use it well on my small, hooded eyes. However, I love this brush. I have used it over and over again throughout the past month. It is sooo soft. The shadow side is still really large for me, but this is so soft I can actually use it as a crease blending brush with no problems. Ill lay the color with the crease brush side (the small pencil brush) and then blend it out with the large shadow side. Ill also use this to quickly set my shadow primer with a skin-toned shadow as well. I dont typically like duel end brushes because its hard to store them (they should be laid flat) but they are amazing for travel. Would definitely recommend this brush! 




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What: NYX Cosmetics Hot Singles Eyeshadow in Addiction
Value: $4.50
Review: Come on now. Another full size product?! Go Ipsy! I love this shadow. Its pigmented and so so pretty. Easy to blend, all that. Want to really amp it up though? Prime your eyelids (I like Behind the Scenes by Lorac), then Maybellines Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk  AND THEN pack on NYX Addiction. The two together are just absolutely beautiful and its pretty enough to be a one color shadow look if youre in a hurry. Love!




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What: Alterna Caviar CC Cream 10-in-1 Leave-In Hair Perfector
Value: $8.75~
Review: This product has the longest name ever. Sheesh. This is a great product. I use it most often after Ive curled my hair and brushed it out. This smooths the hair and renews it. The sample size is generous - definitely enough for me to figure out if I like it. I would consider purchasing this as full size even though the price is pretty steep, only because I believe is seriously would last FOREVER. A little goes a long way. 

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What: Pacifica Natural Eyeliner in Gun Metal
Value: $11.00 (Cheaper at Target, usually)
Review: I was so not impressed with the shadows that we received in a previous Glam Bag so I didnt know what to expect. I think the swatch below is pulling blue because of my Fitbit, but it is a really pretty color. The formula is smooth and soft on the eye... however, this is a natural vegan brand and sometimes people with oily skin dont see long lasting results. By mid-day, my oily eyelids basically broke down the formula and it was gone. If you dont have oily eyelids this could be a product for you! If you do have oily eyelids, prime those babies, lay down a trusted black liquid liner and then maybe layer this on top? Havent tried it yet, but it may work!



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Total Value: $50.24
Overall Thoughts: For me, this months bag was a hit! I really loved the products and I feel like the value of the Ipsy Glam Bag is astounding. I definitely feel like Im getting my moneys worth this month (and pretty much every other month!)

What do you think? Have you signed up for Ipsy yet? Do it! 

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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Ipsy Glam Bag July 2014 First Impression Value and Swatches!

Ipsy Glam Bag July 2014 First Impression Value and Swatches!


*This post contains affiliate links. A small percentage, stipend or credit helps to support my blog without any additional charge to you

I received my July Ipsy Glam Bag! The theme this month is Sensationally Sunkissed! Lets review the items and the value!


The color of this bag is very cute, but the overall style and feel isnt my jam. The inside is felt which, to me, isnt great for cleaning. Oh well!


It was a very cyclical bag! The variety was great, a little skin care, a little beauty. All in all, great range. Lets get into the actual product.


What: Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil with Natural Sunscreen SPF 08 (Sample, 1 fl oz)
Value: $1.50
Verdict: I liked the feeling of this. It left you slightly tacky - not exactly slimy or sticky, just slightly tacky, which I think is great for a natural oil. I used a dry oil at my Moms house on the fourth of July and I REALLY liked it, but it definitely wasnt all natural. I cannot wait to give this stuff a try!


What: Nailtini Straight Up Color in Mango Rita (Full Size, .05oz)
Value: $13.00
Verdict: This is such a pretty color! I love it! It claims to be opaque in two coats and it is. My nails are painted at the moment but Bryan let me swatch it on his nail (what a guy!) and its beautiful. Im refreshing my mani this weekend and will be using this color. I love it!



What: Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass Lip + Cheek Stain in Cherry (Full Size, .35oz)
Value: $22.99
Verdict: I dont know why but I was not expecting this to come out so..... jelly-ish? Not jelly. But... Watery but with a glossy finish? Its so strange. But the color is really pretty. Im not sure I would pick cherry to put on my cheeks, but it blends out fairly well and maybe it would be a good base to ensure a powder blush stays all day. Its definitely a pretty color on the lips, although again the consistency throws me off. It is slightly sticky and my lips have been a bit chapped from being sick and it kind of burned when I put it on, which hasnt been the case with other lip glosses Ive used on aggravated lips. It says a bit tacky on the cheeks as well, which I dont necessarily like, it can make powder a tad clumpy. Im going to keep playing around with this and see. I expect much more for the price, for sure.


What: Clear Clinic Laboratories Vanished Clear Spot Treatment (Sample, 2mL)
Value: $9.32
Verdict: I am stressed TO THE MAX. So, I have the spots...you know? And Ive used this and while it didnt make them go away, it sped up the process of the spot. Spots that were under the skin and didnt have a head all of a sudden did. Im going to keep using it and see what happens but color me intrigued. 


Lets not forget this little guy!

What: BareMinerals 5n1 BB Cream Eyeshadow in Divine Wine (Sample, .03oz)
Value: $5.40
Verdict: I swatched this and I liked the consistency. I let it set, rubbed it and it stayed put. I let it on my hand and there was minimal fade over time. I havent worn it on my eyes yet because Ive been sick and I tend not to do my make-up when Im ill. I cant speak for the anti-aging or brightening claims but I will say that this color isnt something I would wear on a normal basis, but will be a good base for other looks. I would definitely consider this to be great for a one shadow make-up look...if it was in a more wearable color!

Below is a swatch of the BareMinerals eyeshadow and the Elizabeth Mott lip and cheek stain. The stain had two swipes then was blended out.


Paid: $10
Overall Value: $52.21

Overall, this was a great bag! Im happy with the items and I think Ipsy did a great job!



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Friday, October 21, 2016

May 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Value First Impression and Swatches

May 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Value First Impression and Swatches


*This post contains affiliate links. A small percentage, stipend or credit helps to support my blog without any additional charge to you.

I got home today and I was so happy to see my Ipsy Glam Bag. arrived! I, of course, grabbed my phone so that I could snap pictures while I opened it. This is a first impression style blog! 


In case you live under a rock, Ipsy is a monthly subscription where you pay $10 + tax to receive a cute make-up bag filled with four or five sample (or full size) make-up products from varying brands! It is so fun to get a little pink package in the mail every month!


You can see my reviews on the past few months by clicking here. 



Theme: Fresh Picks
Description: Its a month of crisp air, vibrant flowers, and fresh Glam Bag products! Getting your beauty to bloom all month long will be as easy as lying in the warm grass and basking in the sunshine.


The first thing I did was take out the bag. Obviously. It is a canvas bag with green vines all over it. Its really cute, but the zipper was actually kind of horrible. I havent had to tug so hard to get a makeup bag open in a long time! It was really noticeably difficult, which is weird because in my four months of getting Ipsy bags, I havent experienced anything like that. Im hoping that it was just a fluke with my bag and not a widespread problem!



Here are the items I received. Im going to come right out the gate and say that I was REALLY hoping to get a sample of Chocolate Soleil. I was really bummed when I saw that I didnt receive it, especially because I made the mistake of watching Michelle Phans video about it! Oh well. Ill try that bronzer someday!


Item: Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Elusive 2.7g (full size) 
Value: $8-9.00 (depending on where you shop. CVS.com at $9.49)


The first item I grabbed was this Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Elusive. The color is really pretty and I have two others of these lippies but I dont have this color, thankfully. Ive swatched it below.


The color is definitely something I would wear. Its a cool toned pink color. While I primarily want Ipsy so that I can scope out other brands, Revlon is such a solid brand with good products. How can you be disappointed in a no fail item like this?!

Item: Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo .07oz (exclusive to Ipsy sample size)
Value: $3.50 (approx.)


So I took this picture, set my phone down, opened up the lid and it popped right off! I couldnt believe it! At first I thought it was broken, but I was able to stick it back on there. Not very well though because it came off again when I was swatching it. Ive never had a Pacifica product before but that wasnt a very good first impression!



The colors in this duo are actually kind of interesting. At first, when you look you think its a cream/pink shade with a bronze brown. Not so. That cream shade has a lot of pink in it, almost to the point of bright (hot?) pink. Its so hard to photograph well!



I was not impressed at ALL with the cream shade when I swatched it though. It was pretty powdery. The bronze shade was really nice though. Here they are swatched on my hand. You can barely see them, but using a good primer or a white base would probably make them pop. Well see how it goes! I showed you the swatch on my finger tips, for good measure. You can kind of see the powdery consistency of the lighter shade.




This duo is described to contain coconut infused mineral eye shadows that are a perfect addition to any makeup collection. Packaged in a recyclable container, these duos were customized for Ipsy (read: not available for sale.) The colors in this duo are Celestial and Opal.

Item: Hang Ten Sunscreen 50SPF 1oz (sample size)
Value: $2.16 (Full size is 6oz for 12.99)




This formula is suuuuuper watery. Or maybe I just should have shaken it to mix it all up? When I swatched it a lot more came out than what I was meaning for and I was like whoooa! A lot of sunscreen is a bit on the thin side but this, I feel like, was more so. I didnt spread it around because I was going outside and I didnt want my hand to have a weird light spot if I ended up getting any color. It smelled nice! 





The product claims to protect and nourish your skin with their clear, lightweight, naturally scented sunscreen. Waaaaait. I swatched it. Its not clear! It also says it provides maximum water resistance and full body coverage against harmful UVA/UVB rays. The description on the website says its 80 minutes water resistant, non-greasy and is oxybenzone free, paraben free, retinyl palmitate free, synthethic fragrance free and is non-nano. 



Item: derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub 1oz (sample)
Value: $16.25 (Full size is 2oz for $32.50)



Its slightly disappointing to get a microdermabrasion scrub when we got the one from dr. brandt last month. It would have been nice to have a nice hydrating moisturizer or eye cream this time around. However, this is a nice size sample and for that, I am grateful. This will definitely last a while. 



This formula claims to buff away dull surface cells, diminsh the appearance of wrinkles and acne scares and absorbs excess skin oils with an exclusive crystal blend including the Dead Sea Salt and Volcanic Sand. It is enriched with Lime and Lemon Peel (which you can definitely smell. Very nice, clean citrusy scent) plus is hast antioxidants Grapeseed and Vitamin E. All derma e products are 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, mineral oil-free, glycol-free, lanolin-free, gluten free and GMO free. Thats a lot of frees yo! 



I took a look at the website and this looks like a brand I could definitely get into. Im excited to try this scrub!

Item: Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask 2.03oz (smaller of two sizes available)
Value: $12




Which bring us to the  Therapy Session Hair Mask by Eva NYC. This hair mask smells really good, but it actually permeated through the entire bag. Every think in that bag smelled like this hair mask. The inside of the bag was overwhelmingly this smell. Its definitely potent. I swatched this on my hand, took a picture, rubbed it around, cleaned it off with a wet wipe, washed my hands SEVERAL times and the smell is still there on my hand. Im a tad scared to put it on my head just because of my migraines! I might have Bryan test it out for me. He cant smell anything so itll be perfect. 



The hair mask claims to deeply condition, repairs and strengthens dry and damaged hair. Argan Oil nourishes and revitalizes, while Keravis Protein drastically increases hairs strength and elasticity. Pretty lofty claims! Im kind of excited to see how this works and if it smells that crazy actually ON your hair! 



Total Value: $41.91
Overall: Definitely a good bag. I havent been disappointed yet! Now to go tell Bryan that hes going to be my guinea pig for that hair mask. Im sure thatll go over well!

Have you signed up for Ipsy yet? Go getchu some!

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Thursday, October 13, 2016

October 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Value Swatches and Reviews!

October 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag Value Swatches and Reviews!


*This post contains affiliate links. A small percentage, stipend or credit helps support my blog without any additional charge to you. Thank you!
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What is better than an Ipsy Glam Bag review with pictures taken with zero natural light because they were taken at 9:30 at night, after a hours and hours of homework?!

Nothing, obviously.

I am working like a madwomen trying to get all of my homework done so that I can celebrate my five year anniversary without it hanging over my head! Yup! This weekend marks five years that Ive been married to my musician and I want to spend it relaxing as much as possible!

So, forgive me if this post is a little loony tunes. Lets get to reviewing this Ipsy Glam Bag! 




The October 2014 Glam Bag is themed Beauty Candy although, if Im being honest... I dont know why. I mean... I dont feel like this bag is candy-esque in any way. There is nothing in the bag that smells like candy. And nothing tastes like candy either. Dont ask me how I know that. Ha! Its because its October. Halloween = candy. Still, instead of fall colored items, we should have gotten like vibrant purple lipstick and eyelashes that had feathers attached or something. However, I loved the bag. It leans a little blue in the picture but itd say its a little more green in real life, but its very cute and it will definitely be something I use consistently! And, if you are new here, Ipsy is a beauty subscription service that costs $10 a month. A subscriber receives four to five deluxe size samples (with the occasional full size thrown in!) and a cosmetic bag monthly. 

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This month, the bag held some cleanser wipes, a mini lipstick, Mango scented hand cream, eyeshadow pigment and some false lashes! I like when the bag comes with three to four cosmetic items and one to two skincare items. Its a nice ratio, in my opinion! 




What: Figs & Rouge Mango & Mandarin Shea Butter Hand Cream (20ml)
Value: $6.56
Review: This UK-based brand is made with pure and natural ingredients. If you are expecting this hand cream to be really thick and heavy you couldnt be more wrong. Its one of those creams that is not watery at all, but it kind of has that texture where it just disappears and dries really fast when you spread it. You need a little more than with a typical thick hand cream to cover the surface area of your hands but the formula absolutely softens your hands. I have this weird complex where I ABHOR lotion and I specifically dont like that greasy feeling on my hands. I will often lotion my arms, legs, etc and then wash my hands because I just cant stand it. This hand cream does not bother me in the slightest! The scent is fresh, and while I feel like Im more of a vanilla girl than a Mango one, the scent doesnt stick around long enough to become obnoxious in any way! 


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What: Noyah Deeply In Mauve Lipstick 
Value: $4.50~
Review: This is an all natural brown-red (very Kylie Jenner) lipstick that is very pretty, very creamy and is not sticky. Other than applying it once to check it out, I havent worn it to see the lasting power of the product. Typically, natural products dont last as long as preservative filled ones, which doesnt bother me in the slightest. When I swatched it, I didnt notice any staining of the skin or any emphasis on dry, cracked lips (which mine are since the weather is all over the place, going from cold to hot in a moments notice) which is really great! I think Im going to love this product and I cant wait to check out other items from the brand!

Here is a swatch of Deeply in Mauve along with a swatch of the Mineral Eye Shadow pigment in Harlequin!



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What: Mica Beauty Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow in Harlequin
Value: $14.95
Review: This is an interesting product. I want to preface what Im about to say with this, I havent worn this loose eye shadow on my eyes. However, this is what Ive noticed so far. The packaging has a typo. The back lists my color as Harliquin while the website spells it correctly as Harlequin. Okay, no big deal. But the eye shadow I received is definitely green. The picture on their website looks silvery. The pigment swatched beautifully, but I noticed that when I wiped it off, it left a brown stain. I am almost willing to bet that when I wear this, my oily eye lids will break it down and Ill end up just having a patchy, brown stained eyelid. I hoping that isnt the case, but Im not optimistic. 

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What: Kiss i-ENVY Premium 100% Human Hair False Lashes in Diva 01 
Value: $2.99
Review: I love false lashes! Im still a total novice and applying them but I am learning and getting better. Ill wear them semi-regularly and then stop and for me, its not like riding a bike! I get worse the longer I go without wearing them. I love that these are natural looking. The lashes arent extremely long which I like because I have small, hooded eyes. I havent applied these but I know Ill like them! Cant wait to play with them. 

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What: skyn Glacier Cleansing Cloths 
Value: $5.00
Review: As I sat down to write up this post, I realized that I hadnt taken my make up off and that this would be a perfect time to use these cloths! I had extremely sensitive skin and these were abrasive on my skin and not in a good way. The scent didnt bother me much, but dang, did my skin feel uncomfortable. I immediately went to wash my face. I would NOT recommend using this to clean off eye make up if you have sensitive eyes, however, on the rest of the face I think it could be fine. The formula definitely broke down the make up really fast, so that was nice!

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Total Value: $34.00
Overall Thoughts: I joined Ipsy because I like trying new brands. In this bag, there was only one brand Ive received before in an Ipsy bag and one brand I have purchased before. Trying three new products from three new brands for $10 is totally worth it to me! While I wouldnt say I absolutely love any of these items, I like the variety and I have some new brands to check out. I would say Im mostly excited to see what else Noyah has to offer! 

So thats my review! I actually feel like I didnt get too crazy, even though its really late now! I only rambled on like once or twice. Pretty decent, all things considered! What did you think about the items I received? Have you signed up for Ipsy yet? Do it and let me know what you think!


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