July Ipsy Bag

Hello Again!

Yes, I know we are several days into August! But I wanted to share the goodies I received in my July Ipsy bag.

1) Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof Spray 

2) Pouty Pop Crayon

3) BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow Sample

4) Benetint

5) Coola Tinted Moisturizer

I've received these Big Sexy Hair Spray products in my Ipsy bags before. They seem to do a decent job at holding my hair in place, but I wish I had received the Soy Renewal Beach Spray instead. I am on a constant search to replace the John Freida Beach Waves spray that was discontinued several years ago. I've had zero luck finding a product that compares. This cult classic sells on eBay for around $50-80 dollars a bottle. THAT'S how fabulous it is. I have no clue why John Frieda stopped discontinued it, or why they refuse bring it back. OK, end of my rant!

I've blogged about my obsession with coral, so it should be no surprise I was happy to receive this punchy color. It is a bit bright, but I tone it down with a bit of neutral lip liner. 

Please excuse my potato farmer hands in these photos. I am well overdue for a manicure of some kind! 

This BH Cosmetics palette was lovely, if a bit bright for me. I need to figure a way to incorporate that pretty purple eyeshadow into an evening look. Does anyone have any smokey eyeshadow tutorials they would like to share?

I've been a fan of Benetint by Benefit for quite some time. It is a rosey lip and cheey stain, that truly stays on and smells like roses. 

This Coola mineral sunscreen was OK, though the coverage seemed a bit too sheer for my taste. It was also a shade too dark for this pasty girl.

Well, that brings to an end my July Ipsy Bag review. I do enjoy receiving these little beauty nuggets every month!

Thanks for stopping by!

Adrienne 

May Ipsy Bag

Hello Again!

I generally forget to review my Ipsy bags, but the May products were pretty fabulous and deserving of a blog post. Here we go!

 This month I received:
1) St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion 
2) Nume Finishing Serum
3) Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss
4) Zoya Nail Polish in Neely
5) Yaby Concealer Refills

Let's start with the St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion . I am skeptical of most fake tanners, especially those that wash off with soap and water. But I was feeling brave and decided to give it a whirl. This lotion gives such a lovely glow! Best of all, it didn't rub off on my clothing! We'll have to see how it stands up to the humid Nashville summers :)

Next up is Nume Finishing Serum. This stuff seemed to work OK on my color treated, dry hair. But, I'm not sure it's worth the $29 (for a full size) price. 

On to the Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss. (notice my dry, comic-book-sorting-hands, and the messy background. I'm super professional). This gloss has a nice, sweet scent and is organic and cruelty free, which is a big deal to me. I do wish the gloss had been a tad less sheer.

I truly loved the Zoya Nail Polish in Neely! I'm generally a coral/pink/red polish kind of gal, but I threw this on my fingernails one night, and it lasted for 3-4 days without chipping! That is unheard of for me, since I am super rough on my hands. I need to try more Zoya polishes, that's for sure!

Finally, we have the Yaby Concealer Refills. I was so underwhelmed by this that I didn't even bother to take a separate photograph, haaa haaa. Seriously, I haven't given this product a try as of yet and it might be wonderful. I will update this post as soon as I do.

As I mentioned before, I was quite impressed with this month's Ipsy bag. The bronzer and polish are my faves, and alone are worth the $10 subscription fee!

Also, don't forget that Google Reader is going away this Summer (I'm not sure about Google Friend Connect, but that's another story). For blog updates, follow along via Bloglovin'!


Thanks for stopping by!
Adrienne 

*Please note, this is not a paid product review. I purchase a monthly Ipsy subscription and like to share my beauty finds with my readers :)

Ipsy vs Birchbox: January Sub Box Review

 Hello Again!

It's time for another sub box review! I mean to post these monthly, but generally forget until the month has passed me by.

Ipsy and Birchbox  give you the chance to try out some rad new beauty products for a fee of $10 a month. I've subscribed to both for several months now, and am generally pretty excited about the goodies I receive.

Here are the contents of this months' Ipsy bag:

1)Nailtini Nail Lacquer-This is a gorgeous, rich red nail color. I will be doing a retro manicure with this color in the near future!

2)Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil-I am an Argan oil junkie. My dyed and fried hair needs it so! I've used several different formulas, and this is definitely one of the best. It can also be used as a skin moisturizer!

3)Big Sexy Hair Play and Spray Volumizing Hairspray-I haven't played around with this yet, but it sounds promising.

4)Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter-The best body butter, ever. It smells divine, and is rich enough to soothe my Winter chapped hands.

5)Soho Concealer Brush-The perfect brush for concealer, or filling in eyebrows.

I was thrilled with this months' Ipsy box. The body butter and Argan oil alone were worth the $10 monthly fee! I like the variety of products, and Ipsy's tendency to give full size products in their bag.

In my previous Ipsy vs. Birchbox post, I stated I would be cancelling my Birchbox in the near future. Not because Birchbox isn't fabulous in it's own right, but because it wasn't the right fit for me. Well, I am a bit of a procrastinator, so the cancellation hasn't happened as of yet. Here are the contents of my Birchbox:

1)Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum-I haven't gotten around to trying this serum, but it sounds amazing!l

2)Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè-A rich cream that doubles as a makeup remover.

3)Aerie Shimmer Fragrance-A light, lovely scent.

4)Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner-A fab, felt tip, liquid eyeliner. I might purchase a full size one in the future, since it has great staying power.

5) LÄRABAR® über-A yummy, salty-sweet energy bar.

I do like Birchbox's selection of high end beauty products. These are items I have heard of, but generally wouldn't try because of the cost. It feels good to give them a whirl!

Overall, I am more of an Ipsy girl, but am still hesitant to cancel Birchbox. Decisions, decisions....

Have a good one!

Adrienne

Ipsy vs. Birchbox: October Sub Box Review

Hello Again!

I am very late in reviewing my October subscription boxes! But, I was fairly impressed with the boxes last month, and wanted to share goodies I received with you.

Let's start with my October Birchbox.

Here is what I received:
Eve Lom Cleanser & Muslin Cloths
Amika Nourishing Hair Mask
Luna Lemon Zest Bar
Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara
DDP Advanced Micro-Exfoliation Cleanser

I have used most of these products and enjoyed them. The DDP Cleanser is a nice exfoliant, the mascara gives me lush lashes, and the Luna bar was yummy.

I've been feeling rather "ehhh" about the last few Birchboxes I received. They are beautifully packaged, and generally have some nice skincare items. But, I don't feel that they are necessarily geared towards me. I am in like, but not love, with my Birchboxes. But, this one was a bit better than the previous.

Next up is my first Ipsy box/bag (formally known as My Glam Bag):

Here is what I received:
Coastal Scents Eye Shadow
The Balm " What's Your Type" Bodybuilder Mascara
Be A Bombshell Eyeliner
Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Lacquer Stain
Couture Color Pequi Oil Treatment

I was quite impressed with my first Ipsy bag. First, I loved the Bombshell/Pinup concept, and the bold, feminine products. The Be A Bombshell Eyeliner was long lasting, though the felt tip was a bit thick for my taste. The Balm mascara was lush and lengthening. I've used the Couture Color Oil Treatment a few times, and it leaves my hair very soft.
Plus, with Ipsy, you receive a mini bag each month! I found the chevron stripe bag quite snazzy.

My favorite item from Ipsy was the Mirenesse Lip Bomb Glossy Lacquer Stain. The color is very highly pigmented, goes on glossy, and has the great staying power of a lip stain.

The Coastal Scents eyeshadow was really the only "ehhh" item. The colors are pretty, but the item didn't seem to fit with the Bombshell concept.

So, obviously I am partial to Ipsy. I might give Birchbox one more month (yes, I said this a few months ago), and stick with Ipsy for now.

How many of you subscribe to beauty boxes? What have been your experiences?

Have a good one!
Adrienne