Ipsy Glam Bag | July 2016

It's that time of the month - my Ipsy Glam Bag has arrived and it's full of full-sized and deluxe sample-sized goodies. This bag costs just $10/month and it's customizable to your beauty preferences. If you're interested in signing up, click here. 

Here's what came in July's bag...

• Trust Fund Beauty nail polish in No Filter - This is a full sized nail polish in a gorgeous muted purple shade. This brand is 10-free (a.k.a. free of the nasty chemicals many polishes include) so you can paint away with no worries! I've had good luck with this brand in the past when it comes to lasting power and quality. 

• Elizabeth Mott Show Me Your Cheeks blush in Peach Pink - A buildable blush with a beautiful peachy golden sheen that reminds me of Benefit's Coralista. This brand is cruelty-free and never tested on animals. 

• ML Cosmetics felt tip eyeliner in Emerald Isle - This is an eyeliner pen in an emerald shade. The green isn't really my kind of style, but it could be fun for the right occasion. The tip is fine and easy to apply. 

• TheBalm Meet Matte eyeshadow in Matt Kumar - TheBalm eyeshadows are awesome. This shade is a matte cranberry shade that's bold and applies and blends smoothly.

• Befine Night Cream - This cream uses natural estrogen to reduce wrinkles and prevent premature aging. It claims to increase circulation in the skin for healthier color and tone. 

What did you get in your Ipsy bag? Let me know in the comments! 

January Ipsy Glam Bag | 2016

Sorry for the late post - my beauty room has been in disarray while we prep our nursery! But, as of this past weekend I finally have my space back and I was able to get some photos taken. 

Annnyway, this month's Ipsy Glam Bag arrived and it's a good one! Glam Bags cost just $10 a month, and you get  variety of full sized products and deluxe samples to test. Your beauty preferences are taken in to account so you usually end up with at least a couple things you like. To get your own glam bag, sign up here. 

Here's what came in January's bag: 

• Jelly Pong Pong Fair Lashes CURL mascara - This is a totally new brand and product to me. This water-resistant mascara claims to hold curl all day, and give extra volume and definition to the lashes. It contains no mineral oils or fragrance.

• Hikari Cosmetics Cream Metallic Pigment Shadow in Mink - This is a beautiful nude pink cream shadow. It's very soft and easy to apply. I can see myself using this very frequently. 

• Lasting Smiles lip balm in Peppermint Creme - This is an organic lip balm that's fair trade certified, with ingredients that are sourced from small farms cooperatives. For every 1,000 balms sold, a child's cleft lip surgery is funded.  It smells amazing and has a cooling feel on the lips. I really like this lippie.

• theBalm Mr. Write(Now) eyeliner pencil in Jack B. Bronze - This eyeliner glides on smoothly and is a beautiful shade of bronze. It has a built in sharpener so you don't have to worry about it dulling and it has some serious lasting power.

• Hey Honey Open Your Eyes Eye Contour Lifting Fluid - This serum is meant to reduce puffiness, hydrate and tighten the undereye area. It can be applied under makeup for a tightened, firm look. 

Are you an Ipsy subscriber? What came in your bag this month? Let me know! 

Ipsy Glam Bag | October 2015

This month's Ipsy Glam Bag is a hit for me! There's a product I've always wanted (the highlight), and multiple brands that I love to try (Nourish Organic, Tarte). Ipsy bags come once a month for just $10/month and rarely am I disappointed in the selection of samples (and often, full sized products). Every month the goodies come in a cute keepsake bag, perfect to use while travelling. To get your own Ipsy bag, sign up here. 

This month, I received:

• Nourish Organic Pure Hydrating Argan Face Serum: Designed to hydrate and smooth the skin, while improving tone. Formulated with Apricot Kernel Oil, Moroccan Argan Oil, and Rosehip Oil. I really like the Nourish Organic brand, and I look forward to trying this sample. 

• Coastal Scents Xpress Line Cosmetic Pencil: This eyeliner pencil is black, and claims to have long lasting wear and a pack of pigmentation. I'm not super in to eyeliner pencils, and this pencil wasn't creamy enough for my taste.

• Ayres Pampas Sunrise Hand Cream: This hand cream is made with plant emolliants, shea butter and herbal extracts to moisturize the skin. The smell is comprised of lemongrass, mandarin, bergamot, patchouli and spearmint. 

• Tarte Deluxe LipSurgence Skintuitive Lipgloss in Energy: Crafted to smooth fine lines and hydrate the lips, it also creates a personalized shade of pink on the lips. It's not sticky at all, which I like in a lipgloss. Color is very light. 

• theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer: A honey-hued highlight that adds a burst of luminescence to the face. Can be used as an eye shadow or highlight. Love this shade - it's gorgeous and would work for any skin tone! 

What did you get in your Ipsy bag? Let me know! 

April Ipsy Glam Bag

Ipsy time is here, and it came with some fun new products and one of the cutest Ipsy bags I've received yet! I'll definitely be hanging on to this one for travel in the future. Here's what came in April's glam bag...

• JulieG Nail Polish in Damsel - This is a beautiful hot pink cream nail polish. JulieG is a youtube beauty "guru" who made her own nail line, and it's not sold anywhere near me, so I'm excited to finally try one of her polishes. I've heard good things! I have about a million nail polishes in this color, so I wish I would have received something more unique, but what can ya do? 

• Olive Natural Beauty Lip Balm in Oats & Honey - Upon first glance, I was really excited to receive this. Then I opened it, and it smells disgusting and it's extremely hard to smooth on the lips. I don't know if I received a dud, but this is unusable and I'll be chucking it straight in the trash. 

• KCO Colors by Beauty Brands lipstick in Natural Born Beauty - This is a gorgeous brick red. It has that old school lipstick smell, but it seems like a nice formula. I've never heard of KCO Colors before. Unfortunately my tube came broken (see below) but it'll still work.

• theBalm Cosmetics Nude Dude Eyeshadow Single in Flirty - I love love love love this color (kind of a pinky brown) and the texture which is super buttery and blendable. I'm over the moon to get this in my glam bag! 

• MicaBeauty Eye Primer - The good news? This primer fits my skin color beautifully and it's a full-size product (full-size retails for $44.95 - great deal!) The bad news? My eyeshadow creased in a matter of 4 hours. Bad deal! NOT a fan. 

If you like receiving beauty samples, and some full size products, at your doorstep each month, you've got to sign up for Ipsy! It costs just $10 per month, and you can gain points by reveiwing your products, which you can then redeem for full size products. Click here to sign up today. (referral link)

p.s. Sorry for the unexplained hiatus this week! I was off  in San Francisco for work and it was beautiful and I was bad and didn't plan ahead. Here's a pretty picture from the bike trip I took across the Golden Gate Bridge as my apology. :)

Empties #9

Here's my trash from the last 2 months. Shall we get right to it?

Yes to Tomatoes Volumizing Shampoo - I like most everything I've tried from the Yes To brand, this shampoo included. It had a really nice, dare I say, feminine (?) scent (my husband used it and liked it, too) but I didn't really notice it giving my hair much volume. Despite that, my hair felt clean and it was enjoyable to use. 
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fruity & Cheeky Cherry - I'm a big fan of Batiste dry shampoos. They do a good job of allowing me "clean" hair for a couple days post-wash. The cherry scent was subtle and didn't linger in the hair.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Pantene Ice Shine Shampoo - I have had this in the closet forever and finally used it up. This is a super basic shampoo. I didn't notice my hair being shinier than normal, but that was OK by me. I prefer a bit more moisture from my shampoos, so this wasn't my favorite, but it certainly wasn't bad. 
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Kiss My Face Big Body Conditioner - This is an all natural conditioner. I've tried many natural conditioners that I've loved, but this one doesn't quite make the cut. I didn't find this to be very nourishing, and the scent was just OK. 
Would I repurchase? Probably not.

Beauty Secrets Acetone Nail Polish Remover - This is the Sally Beauty brand of acetone polish remover. Even though acetone is quite harsh for the nails and cuticles, it cuts out half the time when removing pesky polish. I prefer using it over non-acetone removers, and I liked this brand.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

B&BW Honey Body Scrub in Wild Iris & Honey - This sugar scrub was really enjoyable to use. It left a nice oil on the skin and the scent lasted for a couple hours after using it. I'd never tried scrubs from B&BW before, and after trying this one I definitely want to try more!
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Yes to Carrots Daily Cream Facial Cleanser - I used this cleanser in the mornings as it's very gentle. I don't think it would be something I'd use in the evening as I prefer a heavier-duty cleanser then, but for mornings it was nice. It didn't break my skin out and it didn't leave a film behind on the skin.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

B&BW Dreamy Vanilla Woods Shower Gel - Wowza, this is an old fragrance from B&BW! This guy has been sitting in my closet for way too long, practically begging to be used up. It's a very sweet autumnal scent but I admit it got a bit sickening, so because of that I wouldn't get it again if they re-release this scent.
Would I repurchase? No.

Garnier Expert Exfoliator Daily Exfoliating Gel - This is a very gently exfoliator so if you like to exfoliate every day, this is for you. It leaves the skin with a cold feeling that can burn if your skin is dry, or even hurt if you rub it around on your face too long. It was nice for the time being, but I've found other products I like better.
Would I repurchase? No.

Nourish Organic Deodorant in Almond Vanilla - This is the best all natural deodorant I've ever tried. It is very lightly scented (so if you're someone who needs to mask BO this scent isn't the one for you) and it didn't make my armpits smell bad the way so many natural deodorants do. My one gripe (and I don't know if I just got a bad bottle) is that the texture is gritty. It actually kind of hurt to apply at times. It never irritated my armpits to the point of pain, but it was strange and not comfortable when applying. Regardless, I still loved it.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Whish Shave Cream in Blueberry - This was a sample from a past Birchbox. I didn't care for the very fake blueberry smell, but it worked really nicely. I've never seen this in stores, but if I did I would consider purchasing it.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Yes to Blueberries Eye Firming Treatment - This product made a past favorites post, that's how much I loved it. For the warmer summer months, this eye cream was my jam, but when the colder fall months hit it wasn't quite moisturizing enough. I still really enjoyed using it.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

B&BW Anti-bacs in Sweet Clementine and Ice Cream Dream - I always have these in my empties, as I use them prior to applying my makeup to ensure my hands are germ-free. Sweet Clementine had a clean citrus scent and Ice Cream Dream was sweet and heavenly.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

It's So Big Mascara by Elizabeth Mott - This mascara came in a previous Ipsy bag and it was surprisingly really good. It did make my lashes look big and voluminous without compromising length and separation. It flaked a tiny bit, but not enough for me to completely write it off as a bad mascara.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Eye Base - I'm willing to bet I got a bad sample of this, because it was hardly usable. It caked all over my eyelids and did nothing to enhance and hold my eyeshadows. 
Would I repurchase? Probably not.

Juicy Couture Perfume - I have to say, I think I'm officially over Juicy Couture perfumes. I never did care too much for the original scent, as I find it a bit too floral for my taste. I just wasn't a big fan of this.
Would I repurchase? No.

Maybelline The Colossal Volum Express Cat Eyes Mascara - In a previous post, I believe I said I enjoyed this mascara. Well, times have changed because I could not get through this tube. This is being thrown before its time because it made my lashes clumpy and it was hard to work with.
Would I repurchase? No.

TheBalm Stainiac in Beauty Queen - This was a really pretty rosy lip stain that gave a perfect glow to my lips. It won't hydrate your lips, but it will stain them a beautiful color that lasts and lasts. I really enjoyed using this little sample, but unfortunately it dried up before I could use it all.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara - I use this to set my eyebrows. It works good, it's cheap. Not much more to say.
Would I repurchase? Yes, already have.

Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes - These are a tried and true makeup wipe that I come back to often. They are moist and gentle and work great to get all my makeup off of my face.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

L'Oreal Laquer Liner in Blackest Black - I didn't completely use this up but it's old and hard and I've had enough of it. It wasn't creamy and easy to work with, it was always kind of hard and tough to get enough of on your brush. 
Would I repurchase? No.

Caudelie Premier Cru Eye Cream - This little sample was really nice. It felt smooth and hydrating on my eyes, but it is definitely too far on the pricey side for me to purchase this anytime soon.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Chapsticks in Spearmint and Strawberry - These are good plain lip balms that hydrate the lips. I think anyone and everyone has tried these. They're cheap and they do the job.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Trader Joe's Antiplaque Toothpaste with Fennel, Propolis & Myrrh - Buyer beware! If you don't like licorice, don't buy this. It tastes like black jelly beans. I happen to like licorice, so this was fine with me, but I probably won't buy it again because I prefer a minty toothpaste.
Would I repurchase? Maybe.

OPI Avojuices in Raspberry Violet and Jasmine Juicie - I really like these hand creams. They make your hands ridiculously smooth without feeling heavy or greasy. They won't penetrate the driest, cracked hands, but if you need a little boost of moisture, these will work great. The jasmine scent is my favorite from all the many I've tried of these.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

L'Occitane Hand Cream in Magical Leaves - This had a really nice fresh scent that lasted just long enough (i.e. just long enough that it wasn't offensive). It moisturized really nicely and what can I say - it looked cute on my desk at work! I love the packaging of the L'Occitane hand creams!
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Michael Todd Wild Rose Petal Creamy Body Wash - I had high hopes for this as I love the smell of rose, but this had an old lady sickening rose scent to it. It lathered nicely, but I couldn't get past the scent.
Would I repurchase? No.

GlamGlow Supermud Treatment - It was fun to finally try this product without having to shell out the expensive dough on a full sized tub. I thought it was nice and my skin did feel great, but I do think there are other mud masks that work just as nicely and won't break the bank.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

FAB Face Cleanser - I don't know what I expected this product to be, but it wasn't this. I know people rave about how great this is, but I just didn't find it to be anything special. I had been considering buying this cleanser, but once I tried it I just wasn't very impressed.
Would I repurchase? No.

Benefit The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine Powder - I really liked using this! It set my foundation nicely without looking cakey or too powdery. 
Would I repurchase? Yes.

L'Oreal Revitalift Instensive Overnight Mask - This product claims to show results within just one use. I didn't notice a single change or difference in my skin, even after using it 3-4 times. It was heavily scented which I didn't like as well.
Would I repurchase? No.

StriVectin Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles - I've tried this before and I like it. It does a nice job of smoothing fine lines.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Sonoma Lifestyle candle in Woodland Walk - This candle is from Kohl's and OH MY WORD. It smelled heavenly. It's the epitome of fall scents, leaning more towards a perfume scent than spicy. I absolutely loved it and hope it's released again.
Would I repurchase? Yes.

Diamond Candle in Pomegranate Lemonade - I did a whole review of this candle here. It was fun to burn this and find the ring inside.
Would I repurchase? Yes.


Have you tried any of these products? Let me know!

Best of Beauty 2013

Happy New Year everyone! 2013 was such a great year for me; my husband and I truly had a whirlwind of a year. If you would have told me at this time last year just how much my life would change, I wouldn't have believed you. 

In February we moved 90 miles back home to the town both my husband and I grew up in. I started a brand new job which I absolutely love. We spent 7 months living with my parents, and in September we moved in to our very first home - something Jake and I are so proud of. We rang in the New Year with my parents, eating Greek food, putting a puzzle together and flipping between Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve and (my personal favorite) Anderson Cooper & Kathy Griffin's New Year's Eve special. It was nice to have a quiet night in with family.

2013 was so good to me and my family, and I'm going in to 2014 feeling positive and wishing for the best year yet! 

--

2013 was not just awesome personally, but there were some great beauty products that stuck out as true gems this year. Here are the items that were my go-to from head to toe all year long.

• Moisturizer: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream -- My #1 this year. You've probably seen it mentioned many times that I was on medication that dried me out completely, and this thick cream was just the trick to keep my face hydrated. I especially love that it has hyaluronic acid in it. 

• Foundation: Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation -- I think I beat this foundation over all of your heads this year. I seriously love this stuff. It's super full coverage, and it doesn't budge. You can wear it all day without it wearing off. Amazing stuff.

• Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder -- I have used this for years, and 2013 was no different. I've repurchased it countless times. It keeps you matte without looking cakey or powdery, and it won't break the bank!

• Eye Primer: theBalm Put A Lid On It -- I received a sample of this in one of my Birchboxes and fell in love with it. This stuff is no joke; if you want your eyeshadow to stay on all day long, this will do the trick. 

• Eyeshadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked 3 -- Hands down, this is the best $52 I spent all year. I got so much use out of my Naked 2, but Naked 3 has the rose-gold tones that are perfect for my fair skin. Unless something major comes along, this might very well make the best palette of 2014, too! 

• Mascara: Covergirl Clump Crusher by lashblast -- This mascara performs like a high-end brand, and you can pick it up at Target! It lengthens, volumizes and separates but NEVER clumps... even after 2-3 coats!

• Eyeliner: Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eyeliner --For the longest time, Wet n Wild's Mega Liner was untouchable in my world. But this year, Milani's Eye Tech Extreme swooped in and changed my mind. It's convenient and super easy to use.

• Bronzer: Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer -- Oh my gosh, this smells like chocolate!! Even though I've used it for over half the year, I still can't get over the chocolate smell! I have the chocolate soleil bronzer in milk chocolate, the perfect color for lighter skin tones. This is a matte bronzer that warms the face up for a healthy glow. 

• Blush: NYX Blush in Peach -- Clearly I've loved this blush as I've almost hit pan on it! This blush is a gorgeous matte pinky-peach color. It blends really nicely in to the skin and the best part? It's super affordable. 

• Highlighter: NYX Illuminating Bronzer in Narcissistic -- So I guess "technically" this is a bronzer (but what fun is makeup if you don't make your own rules now and then?), but it's far too shimmery, for my taste, to use all over my face. I use this as a dewy pop on the top of my cheekbones . It has a tiny bit of glitter, but it won't leave you looking like a disco ball. 

• Lips: NYX Butter Glosses -- I can't pick just one of these as my favorite... I seriously love them all! I've got a good few of these, but featured in this picture are Peaches and Cream and Strawberry Parfait. These smell absolutely amazing and they leave your lips with a creamy pop of color that's hydrating and exceptionally comfortable to wear.

• Hair Spray: CHI Farouk Royal Treatment Ultimate Control Volume Shaping Spray -- A former boss of mine swears by this hairspray, and she got me swearing by it as well. I dare you to find a hairspray that smells as amazing as this one. It holds without being crunchy and won't make your hair feel weighed down. 

• Hair Care: Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Spray -- My former boss also turned me on to this product and it has stayed a staple in my hair care collection since. It smells so good (I seriously want to bathe in the scent of it) and it will leave your hair silky smooth. Don't let the steep price scare you away; this little bottle will last you ages as a little goes a long way.

What products did you love in 2013? Let me know in the comments below! I love hearing from you!

FOTD - September 11, 2013

I was struck with a bit of inspiration today to try a different, fall-feeling combination of warm browns and thought I'd show you what I came up with. Take a look!

Here's what I used to achieve the look... 

I started off by moisturizing my face, as I always do. I've been trying to get through this Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer, so that's what I chose to use first. I then use my Sigma F80 brush to apply my favorite drugstore foundation, the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation in Ivory (for my full review on this foundation, click here). I set this foundation using my favorite powder, the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Transparent. To warm up my face I used NYC's Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny on the hollows of my cheeks, down around my chin, and on my temples. For a pop of color on my cheeks, I used my Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Blush in Blushing Nude. 

Under my eyes I used the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser in Fair. I've really been enjoying this concealer, as it doesn't cake up in the fine lines under my eyes like many concealers do. Then I primed my eyelids using my favorite primer, theBalm's Put a Lid on It. All over my lid I used the Ulta Color Coat Cream Shadow in Shimmering Topaz. This is the bronzey pop you see in the middle of my eye in the pictures above.  In the crease, I used my Crown Brush Neutral Colors Smokey Eye Palette that I got off Hautelook not too long ago. I used a combination of the three colors you see in the collage to create a warm matte copper brown to define the crease. I used my holy grail Wet n Wild Mega Liner liquid liner in Black to create a winged out, super black liner look. For my lashes I used Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous in Brownish Black.

No lip products (other than Aquaphor) as my lips are too dry to sport anything cute despite loads of moisturizing lip gloss. Only a few more months of medication that dries my lips out - thank GOODNESS because I miss my lippies!

I liked this look and I think it's perfect for fall! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments below!