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Hello March Glam Bag!

And Hello Spring!

First of all, can we just appreciate how cute the bag for this month’s Ipsy is?

Okay, moving on to Skone Cosmetics – Insanely Intense Tattooed Eyeliner in JetBlack (0.07 oz.). I am in heaven with this eyeliner. Liquid eyeliner always used to scare me. In high school, I tried out a friend’s once, and I ended up looking like a Picasso painting. Not an understatement! But I don’t think I have ever been so impressed by eyeliner. I will definitely be buying Skone again. It looks like I received the full-size, which retails on skonecosmetics.com for $15.

The Pixi by Petra – Beauty Blush Duo in Rose Gold (0.16 oz.) is a really pretty blush. The combination of the two colors blends really well with my lighter skin tone. The 0.36 oz. size sells on both pixibeauty.com and target.com for $18. This smaller size would ring in at $8.

I wish I could love the deep red that is NYX Cosmetics – Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick (0.13 oz.) but it just doesn’t work for me. I ended up giving this to my friend who, by the way, looks gorgeous in it. The same size retails on nyxcosmetics.com for $7.

The MeMeMe – Loose Powder Brush (2 oz.) is super soft. I’m still getting used to figuring out different brushes (other than a regular blush brush or eyeshadow brush. I know…don’t make fun of me). This same brush retails on mememecosmetics.com for 14£, which means $20.04 (this one comes with its own carrying case).

Unfortunately, I was not impressed by Nourish Organic – Rosehip & Rosewater Body Oil (0.5 fl. oz.) and I really really wanted to be. I have high hopes for products with “organic” in their names, especially if it’s meant for my face or body. It came out of the tube separated. But maybe I just got a bad batch bottle. Or maybe that’s how it’s supposed to be, but I didn’t care for it. The 3 fl. oz. is $19.99 on nourishorganic.com so this small tube would be $3.33.

I also redeemed from points the NAOBAY Natural & Organic – Oxygenating Moisturizing Cream (0.75 oz.), which retails for $47.60 on beautybay.com for the 1.7 fl. oz. so this smaller (free) size would have been $21.

Including my bonus product, I would have spend $74.37. Lucky me!

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My Alter Ego – October Glam Bag

happy halloween feet_edited-1Muahahahahaha!

Oh, sorry…I mean, Happy Halloween!

My October Glam Bag was ghoulishly delightful and I’m pretty excited to see what kind of character I can turn into with the help of all my new goodies.

The first treat came from theBalm Cosmetics – Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade: Committed (a pinky nude). Love the color. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I am not a lipstick person. But, this month is “Alter Ego” so maybe it’s time I try something bold. After all, it is October – Halloween month – let’s get spooky!

thebalm.com sells their 0.25 oz. bottle at $17 (0.25 oz.) so this smaller size (0.04 oz.) rang in at a nice $2.72.

I fell in love with Aromachology a few months ago so I was pretty stoked to see another bottle arrive. Their Exotic & Spicy Eau de Parfum boasts hints of nutmeg, honeysuckle and blossoming peonies.

This is one of the most sophisticated perfumes I’ve had the pleasure of sniffing. I put some on my wrists and neck this morning and was ready to take on the world!

On myaromachology.com, it came in at $70 (1.7 oz.). This smaller size was a sweet deal at $4.94(0.12 oz.).

I’m all a-buzz for the Hey Honey collection, so their Come Clean: Propolis & Minerals Facial Scrub was a treat to find in my bag.  I loved the Hey Honey Serum – I’m guessing the facial scrub won’t disappoint me either. The website, heyhoney.com sells the 2.2 oz. for $23 (2.2 oz.), making this 0.5 oz. only $5.22.October glam bag

Perfect timing – my old mascara has run its course. IT Cosmetics – Hello Lashes Clinically Proven 5-in-1 Mascara (0.16 oz.) is paraben-free, fragrance-free, phthalate-free, sulfate-free. It almost feels like I’m getting it for free with all the great deals I’ve received so far in my bag this month. Ulta.com sells the bigger size for$24 (0.33 fl. oz.). At almost half the size it was less than half the price = $11.63. I can’t wait to see how this lives up to its 5-in-1 promise.

My last treat was the Touch in Sol – Mini Browza Super Proof Gel Brow Pencil (0.02 oz.) in the shade: Mink Wink (a medium to dark brown).

I’m not one for brow pencils. Heck, I barely pluck the stray hairs in that area, but once again, it’s Alter Ego month. Time to continue branching out of my comfort zone. Bring on fuller, darker brows!

On Sephora.com this size (0.017 oz.) is $19.

Total would have been $43.51 at full price and size. Thanks again, Glam Bag! I’m still getting a boo-tiful deal at $10.

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Fashion Face by Ipsy

edited new sept ipsyHello September Glam Bag! What treats you had in store for me.

With its cute little bow on the front clasp the NYX Cosmetics – Ipsy Eye Shadow Trio (0.03 oz.) had me instantly. Plus it didn’t hurt that the colors are perfect for Fall. Little sparkly gold and bronze and, of course a deep black for that perfect smoky eye. On nyxcosmetics.com, this baby sold regularly for $6, but was on sale for $3 most recently – either way, I’m getting a good deal. I love these colors.

The tre’Sti Que Mini Matte Lip Crayon (0.02 oz.) was a product I was truly looking forward to in this month’s bag. I’m usually more of a lip balm or lip gloss person but this Matte color intrigues me. I’m going to give it a whirl. On trestique.com, you can get a mini trio for $32 so one of these sweeties would be roughly $10.67.

Once again, this glam gal was excited for another product to help me fall into Fall. The Formula X Nail Color in Ignite (0.13 oz.) was on my nails almost before I had the bag unzipped. Ignite is almost a deep merlot color which makes it even more perfect for me, a wine lover! On Sephora.com, one 0.4 fl.oz. bottle is $10.50 so this smaller size would be about $3.41.

Finding a good cosmetic brush can be hard. So many times, I’ve bought one only to be disappointed with the roughness or the bristles falling out. So far, the Crown Brush – Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush (Wt.: 1 oz.) has been amazing. I hope it continues to live up to what I’ve come to expect in these last few weeks. Retail on crownbrush.us is$17.50 but their current sale price is $6.99, saving potential buyers 60%.

This last product – Eau Thermale Avène – Soothing Moisture Mask (0.16 fl. oz.) – is something I’m very much looking forward to trying out. These past few weeks have been particularly busy for me so I am hoping to get that soothing sensation this weekend.  I’ve always had dry skin and am hoping this moisture mask will help out the desert that is my face. On lovelyskin.com, the 1.7 fl. oz. tube retailed for $26. So this smaller size would be about $2.44.

This month has been one of the lower priced Glam Bags if you take into consideration only the five products I received in this adorably lux bag. They totaled $26.51. But I also received the Formula X hand crème after cashing in some of my Ipsy points. This rich crème with Kpangnan Butter retails at $16 on Sephora.com for the 3.4 fl. oz. bottle so my $10 bag is now worth around $42.51. Go Ipsy!

Can’t wait to see what you have in store for me next month!

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Jet Setter – May Glam Bag

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Jet Setter – May 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag

So, I’m a little behind this month in posting about my May Glam Bag from Ipsy: Jet Setter since I got it back on the 15th but now I have my garden in, my house is getting spring cleaned and I even have pecans roasting in the oven as I type.

The bag my Jet Setter items came in sort of had that ’90s flair. I love it.

I pulled out the Urban Decay – 24/7 Glide on Lip Pencil (0.8g) first. Mostly because it was stuck in the bag a bit and was the only way to get the rest of my items out. I was super excited to see the bonus lip gloss on the card as well.

I’m excited to try out the lip pencil as that is one thing I have a hard time with – getting my lipstick to stay on when I actually do wear it. Now I’m definitely more of a lip balm and lip gloss kind of gal but I live on the wild edge once in a while. The sample lip gloss colors are a little crazier than my regular “blush” or “tan” colors but I’m looking forward to it – you only live once.

The 0.04oz-size lip pencil retails on both Sephora and Urban Decay for $20. But the Revolution High-Color Lip Glosses retail full-size (0.17oz) for $22. So I got these babies on for a steal at $16.

The Balanced Guru – Style Me Hair Oil *organic* (0.5oz) was the one item I was so excited to see in my Glam bag this month. My hair has a natural wave to it and by natural I mean it’s a big pain in the “you-know-what”. I will try just about anything to keep it from frizzing out or being unruly. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what regular use of this does for my hair. After using it just once, it already showed that it can manage my waves. The 1 fl. oz. retails on balancedguru.com for $18.99, so this half-ounce bottle was $9.50.

I’m not really one for coloring in my eyebrows so the next item may not get used by me. But I have a sister who might be interested. I received the full-size (0.09g) Chella – Eyebrow Color Pencil (0.09g), which retails on Chella.com for $18.

I’m a huge fan of going au natural whether that’s for cleaning my house or myself. The NUXE – Rêve de Miel Facial Cleansing & Make-Up Removing Gel boasts 94% of its ingredients are from natural origin. I love it when a product that is marketed to clean something as important as a part of my body, like ma face, is almost completely natural. Woo hoo! The 6.7 fl. oz tube retails on nuxe.com for $19, so this 0.5 fl. oz. (15mL) one goes for around $1.42.

I absolutely adore eye shadow in a dust form. It makes it so easy to apply (as long as you don’t sneeze in it). The Jesse’s Girl – Pure Pigment Eye Dust “Brown Sugar” is wonderfully versatile. How can you go wrong with a neutral?! On jessesgirlcosmetics.com the 2.5g retails at $4.99. This 1.8g would be around $3.59.

Once again, Ipsy wins out. I would have spent around $48.51 on this lovely little $10 beauty bag and it’s amazing contents.

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My first little pink envelop – April Glam Bag

I’ve never been big on make-up … well, maybe a little in high school … but overall, I’ve been a minimalist. I’ve also never been huge on buying overly fancy beauty products. For me it has always been this question, “Is it cheap?” And if the answer was “yes”, I bought it.

But I decided it was time to branch out and try something new – or in this case, lots of new things.

Enter Ipsy. For those who don’t know about Ipsy, it is a subscription Glam Bag that for $10 a month you receive five beauty products ranging from lip balm to eye liner to make-up brushes, and much more.

I found out about Ipsy through a friend on Instagram and after receiving my first little pink envelop I think I’m hooked.

IMG_20150418_093842Inside was Beautifully Bohemian – a cute colorful bag filled with all sorts of goodies, which seem to be worth much more than the $10 both in price and quality.

The first item I pulled out was the Hey Honey – Good Morning: Honey Silk Facial Serum (10 mL). At this size, it runs around $11, already surpassing the cost of this month’s Glam Bag. (For a 1.2 ounce container, it runs $41). After using the serum under my moisturizer and make-up the last few days my face already seems softer and I might say, slighter more radiant.

The Hikari in “Tango” was a vibrant shade of blush, which is slightly bolder than what I am used to wearing.  That did not stop me from wearing it today. It will take a little getting used to but I think I will enjoy the change from my usual light pink blush. I received the regular size (0.21 ounce) which runs retail for $15.

The Aromachology perfume, Sophisticated & Sensual, was a lovely variation from the regular perfumes I wear. Very elegant with the flowery scent. The 3.4 ounce bottle runs at $40, so this was a steal around $2 for the 0.17 ounce sample.

The soft and subtle NUDE Dude eye shadow, “Flirty”, by theBalm Cosmetics was a nice addition to my simple make-up regimen today. Normally, the NUDE Dude collection comes with 12 colors for $36, thus making this sample run around $3.

The last item that came in my wonderful little Glam Bag was satin finish lip gloss, “Cuddle” by Starlooks, which at 0.3 ounces runs at $4. This is probably the one item I would not use on a daily basis as I am not much for lip gloss or lipstick. I have a tendency to stick with lip balm but will enjoy it for those occasional nights out.

My total would have been $35 had I bought these items outright rather than through Ipsy.

Needless to say, it has only been one month but I think I’m already in love. I can’t wait to see what shows up in that little pink envelop next month!