Ipsy April 2015 Unbagging

Welcome to another Ipsy unbagging! I have to say I’ve really liked the recent Ipsy bags. I’m not sure if they’re reading my mind but I hope the trend continues. For those who don’t know Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription box. It’s $10.00 a month and usually includes around 5 products that range from sample sized to full-sized (mostly sample). You also get a small makeup bag every month. If you want to check them out they’re located right here https://www.ipsy.com. 

Now on to all the things! 

I love the bag this month. It’s not plastic but a whicker type material and the bag is just different from the norm. 

First thing is the julieG Nail Color with a $1.00 of coupon at Rite Aid (we don’t have Rite Aids in my area). I received the color Damsel that is a cool pink color. It does not go on very opaque (think three coats) but it’s a nice spring color choice. My nails chip quickly so I can say that it stayed on for the normal amount of time colors last on my fingers, which is about two days. Overall this is a great drugstore nail polish. 

The next product is the Olive Natural Beauty The olive Lip Balm. This is your standard lip balm with the hook being that it’s made from Olive’s. It actually has a slight chocolate smell to it. Mine got a bit melted in my mailbox so it could be that or maybe my nose is still messed up from my cold. Either way that’s how it smells to me with a slight olive undertone. It does hydrate your lips and works well as a balm. 

Gallany Cosmetics Lipstick in Petal is my next Ipsy bag product. I love this color. It also goes on creamy and stays on average time. It’s a sample-sized lipstick that is a perfect size for my purse. The lipstick contains Hyaluronic acid and Lavender Wax. Not to sure what lavender wax does but woo hoo. 

Another brush! This is the Crown Brush oval Concealer C224. The brush is not as dense as my MAC 242 (which I use for concealer) but it’s a nice brush to add to my rotation. I have to say the fibers feel…odd. I’m not sure if it’s the materials used but they feel stiff. I don’t believe I’ve had a brush made of Japanese Torray Taklon Bristles. 

And finally we have theBalm Cosmetics Nude Dude eyeshadow single in Fit. I love the color, which is shimmery. The product is opaque and goes on very creamy with no fallout. Ipsy has sold me on theBalm and I think I’m going to buy a few of their full sized products. 

Well that was my Ipsy bag. I’m half and half with this bag. I can’t buy the nail polish locally and the lip balm melted. But seriously Ipsy- another lip balm? I like the brush, the lipstick, and theBalm sample but I don’t think it’s worth $10.00. What saved Ipsy for me this month was the makeup bag. I really like that it’s made from a wicker material and not plastic. So this one is a win but just barely. What did you get in your bag this month? What did you think?

My Chicago Charlotte Tilbury Experience

I recently went to Chicago for a week of fun and a little conference. There is a shopping mecca there called the Magnificent Mile. I’m not a huge shopper but it was an experience just to see. My friend and I looked at must stores on the strip and then went inside a Nordstrom’s. I’m not sure why but we did. I was looking at some Tom Ford products while she meandered about. We turned around the back end of the makeup area and then I saw it. Charlotte Tilbury! 

I’ve heard of this brand, saw many reviews, and have listened to all of the ravings. I was so excited to actually try the product that we booked a makeover and went on our merry way. Fast-forward to two days later and we get our makeovers! We were first given facial treatments from Kate Somerville. Her products are amazing btw and even with my sensitive skin I had no problems. 

But what I want to talk about here is the Tilbury makeup. I had my full face done with the following products. 

Face

• Film star Bronze & Glow - Light Wonder (foundation)
• Cheek to Chic – Ecstasy (blush)
• Filmstar Bronze & Glow - Face Sculpt & Highlight

Lips

• Lip Cheat – Pillowtalk (lip liner)
• K.I.S.S.I.N.G - Penelope Pink (lipstick)

Eyes

• Brow Lift (eyebrow pencil and spoolie) 
• Luxury palette - The Dolce Vita (eyeshadow)
• Full Fat Lashes - Glossy Black (mascara)
• Rock 'n' Kohl - Bedroom Black (pencil eyeliner) 

Since Charlotte Tilbury has a handful of specific looks as examples we decided to do the The Dolce Vita makeup look on me. If you want to find all of these products and see the look check out http://www.charlottetilbury.com/us/shop-by-look/the-dolce-vita.html. 

Face

Unfortunately, I didn’t like the face products. I’m not sure if it’s the fact that she did not use a primer on me but the foundation looked cakey after application. My face was not dry (thanks to the Kate Somerville facial) so I can’t blame that. Maybe it’s just not for someone with dry skin. 

The blush is a very nice color but again looked very cake on me. I think with the foundation and then the addition of powder on top was just too much. It is a great shade though and I would probably use it with a different foundation to see if I got the same results. 

The highlight/bronzer - I’m sorry but I really did not like this. I know this is a holy grail for some but it just did not show up my skin. I have much better results with other products at a much lower price point. Again, it may have to do with the foundation but I’m not willing to pay $70.00 to find out. 

Lips

The lip liner was great. Went on smoothly and lasted for hours. It’s the perfect nude/pink color that will compliment any pink/nude lip. The lipstick was also a very subtle pink color. Not too bright but opaque and it also lasted all day. 

Now, my friend bought me the lipstick in the shade Bitch Perfect. I love the shade and it lasts all day. The only thing about this is that it is not creamy at all. The lipstick actually feels a gritty. I do love the color and the product but the grittiness is very weird. Also, I’m not one to talk about packaging but I have to comment on the lipstick packaging. It feels cheap. The top of the lipstick tube I could crush between my two fingers if I squeezed hard. The lipstick sells for $32.00 and for that price I expect the packaging to be more substantial. 

Eyes

The brow pencil was great. Filled up any sparse areas and did not look fake. My brows are pretty solid on their own so this isn’t a huge surprise. 

We did my tightline with the eyeliner as well as under my eye. It went on smoothly with no tugging and really lasted through the evening. It was even a bit hard to get off with my makeup remover. 

Mascara was also great. My lashes got very long, the color was there and they did not look spidery. I was actually surprised by the mascara. 

The colors in the eyeshadow pallet are amazing and I loved how opaque they were. There was not much fallout and they went on very creamy. However, they did not last on me. We even used a primer and in a few hours I looked like a raccoon. Again, I could try it with a different primer but at the price point… I don’t want to play too much. 

Overall I was disappointed that the majority of the products did not seem to work for me. I’m going to try a few more things, such as her waterproof eyeshadow stick, but I think for the price point I’m going to stay away from the Tilbury line. Anyone else try her products? What did you think?

April 2015 Boxycharm Unboxing - Spoilers!

It’s that time again! Subscription boxes galore!!!!!!! (the crowd goes wild). I’m sorry I haven’t posted in awhile but I’ve been in Chicago doing things and stuff. I was able to visit a few amazing places and pick up some great makeup (Kryolan people). I will be blogging about that this week as well. My friend and I also caught the plague/ebola in Chicago so as I write this I’m highly medicated and sudefeded (not a word) up. So, try to stay with me! 

Our first unboxing is Boxycharm! Which I realize I have been neglecting. Sorry about that! For those who do not know Boxycharm is a monthly makeup subscription service that provides you with five full-sized beauty items. Yep all full-sized. It does cost a bit more then Birchbox or Ipsy at $21.00 (plus tax if you live in Florida) but it is worth it in my opinion. If you want to check them out this is where you can do that http://www.boxycharm.com/. 

Now all the things! 

First we have the Harvey Prince Mini Roller Fragrance in the scent Hello – retail value $21.00. So, I have a horrible cold/plague/ebola and while I can smell it I’m not sure you should trust what I say at the moment. To me it smells musky with a slight floral undertone. I’m usually spot-on with scents and I smell gardenia but again – don’t trust my nose right now. I would wear this and I’m not one for overly flowery scents. Overall I really like this rollerball. 

Next is the Cool way Smoothing Lotion – retail $24.95. The Lotion is in a spray bottle and smells like cherry cough syrup (no I’m not taking cherry cough syrup). I have not decided if I want to wear my hair curly or straight. Lately I’ve been letting it curl up so on a straight type of day I will use this product and see if it’s worth the price tag. 

I am happy to see this Vincent Longo Duo Lip Pencil in chocolate and naked – retail $26.00. I’m in need of lip pencils and this one fits the bill for my nude phase (currently going through this phase for my lips). The pencil goes on smooth, the product is creamy, and they’re opaque. They did not smudge easily and lasted all day for me. 

Chocolate on the top. Naked on the bottom.

Next we have the OFRA Derma Mineral Powder in Pink Sapphire – retail $35.00. This is a loose powder, which contains natural sunscreen and can be used for the face and body. This is very shimmery so if you’re not into being shimmery this is not for you. I love it though and I think it will add some lovely shimmer to certain looks. You don’t get the full idea of how shimmery this is in the photos but wow it’s shimmery! 

I was so excited to see the Costal Scents Revealed 2 Palette – retail $39.95. I have the Reveled pallet and I love it. The Reveled 2 pallet expands on the first and has a lot of opaque colors that can be combined for a number of great eye looks. The shadows are creamy, not powdery, and there is little to no fallout. The first Pallet really rivaled my Naked palette for my favorite numeral palette and that is saying a lot. 

That’s my Boxycharm box for this month. I am very happy with this box and I’m going to use all of the products. I have to say Boxycharm is my favorite beauty subscription box. I am rarely disappointed with the products and the price point is always there. Great job Boxycharm. What do you guys think of the box this month?