The Week in Nails, November 17

Julep Meryl

Grey Nails are my favorite.  I love this color, and it was the first Julep I ever received!  Unfortunately, that means it is old and on the goopier side since I've used up more than half of it.  Oh well.  It's still pretty!  2 coats, no base and Julep Polymer Top Coat.

I may or may not have taken that picture whilst TAing, hence the dry-erase marker.  I wore this for 3 days.

Geometric Taping

My boyfriend and his friends were watching a hockey game and this is what I did.  It took most of the game to finish, but it was worth it.  I used OPI Russian Navy on most of my nails, with Julep Alexandria over the ring fingers, then taped off triangles and painted them.  The triangle colors are Nailtini Mai Tai, OPI Russian Navy, Julep Sienna, and NYC Tudor City Teal.  No base, no top (it needed one, but oh well), and I wore it for 3 days.

Zoya Mason

2 coats of Zoya Mason.  No base, no top, and I'm on day 2 of this (it is Monday).  It's a little chipped but I don't feel like taking it all off.  I might just do some designs over the chipped tips?  You will have to find out next week.

The opinions in this post are mine; all items mentioned within were paid for by me.  No special compensation or consideration was received for this post.

Ipsy November 2013 Review

Ipsy November 2013

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service that costs $10 per month, including shipping.  You will get 5-6 full and deluxe sized beauty products, mostly focusing on makeup.  Each month includes a makeup bag!  This is one of the best deals out there, if you are interested mostly makeup products.

Ipsy November 2013

Ipsy this month sent out 6 items to everyone, including a full-sized item from em by Michelle Phan, the founder of Ipsy.

This month's theme was 'Glam It Up' and the bag is a shiny gold faux-snakeskin wristlet with a hot pink zipper and interior.  It feels a little flimsy, but for the price, I can't complain!  I appreciate the wrist strap, I wish they would send out more like this!

Ipsy November 2013

First up is a Pixi bronzer.  Everyone got one this month, and Ipsy's site had a *ton* of people complaining about it.   "I TOLD IPSY I DON'T WANT BRONZERS WHINE WHINE WHINE."  Get over it.  For $10, you get a bag, 5-6 full and deluxe-sized samples, and free shipping.  EVERYONE got a bronzer this month.  Chill. 

... ok, rant over.

I got sent a shade called Subtly Suntouched, which Pixi calls a medium honey tan, and is surprisingly not too dark for my pale, pale face.  The package doesn't seem to like me, though, and it is really tricky to unscrew and screw the lid back on!  I am hoping I got a fluke and that all of Pixi's containers don't suck this badly.

Pixi Bronzer in Subtly Sunkissed

Sample size is 3.2g, and the full size (which comes with a brush) is 10.21 grams and sells for $18.  Assuming the brush is a bonus and not included in the price, my sample is worth $5.64.


Next up is my variable item: A two-pack of Kiss Ever EZ Lashes in style 03 (glam).  The set comes with an applicator and a mini bottle of lash glue. 

Kiss Ever EZ Lashes in 03

I really like wearing false eyelashes for fancy events.  It is something that pulls your look together, but that people can't pinpoint.  I have a number of sets that range from natural-looking to outrageous.  If you are careful, you can reuse false lashes a number of times.  They can be tricky to apply, but with practice, it can take under a minute per eye!  I appreciate the fact that Ipsy sent a double-pack- it gives people new to falsies a chance to practice without ruining their only set.

These seem to be made from human hair, but it is not specified on the box I was sent.  It just refers to them as "natural", whereas online they are advertised as "100% human hair."

These sell for about $4.99 for the double-pack, depending on where you buy.


The next item that everyone received as a lip crayon from Be A Bombshell.  The color I got was Shameless, a shimmery burgundy.  The other option sent was Hot Damn, a bright red.  I'm glad I was sent Shameless, I have enough bright red lip products to last a lifetime!  This shade is perfect for the holiday season.  It's shimmery and buildable, so I can control the shade that I end up wearing. 

Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Shameless

The lip crayon goes on more like a thin lipstick.  It isn't sticky or glossy or drying.  It's just in the middle of everything, texture-wise.  I like it.

Shameless Lip Crayon on me

This is $14 for 2.5g on the company's website.  We were sent the full size!


Everyone also received a gem liner from Starlooks.  The options were Topaz and Amethyst.  I received amethyst- a shimmery silvery-purple. 

Starlooks Amethyst Gem Liner

I have gotten some liners (lip and eye) from Starlooks in other Ipsy bags, so I was afraid of the texture on this one.  The other liners have been hard and unblendable.  This was absolutely a surprise- it's probably my favorite item in the bag!  It goes on smoothly, doesn't tug, blends like a dream, and has a super-creamy formula.  In terms of texture, it reminds me of my HG 24/7 liners from Urban Decay.  Unfortunately, unlike UD, this isn't very long-lasting.  It came off with some rubbing, but it's not the end of the world.  This liner is so pretty that I don't have an issue re-applying as needed.

Starlooks Amethyst Gem Liner Swatch (bottom)

These are $14 for 2.4g on Starlooks' website.  We were sent the full size!



The last item that everyone received was a Nailtini Straight-Up Color Nail Lacquer.  Mine was in Caviar Cocktail, a silver, but the other option was Champagne, which is a gold.

Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Caviar Cocktail

I like Nailtini polishes, they always seem to last a long time on my nails without chipping or showing wear.  I wish I had gotten the gold color, because I have so many silver polishes!  Also, this shows brush marks no matter how careful you are.  I think because of this, it would look nice with a glittery top coat, or in a sponged-on gradient.  I may or may not keep this, I haven't decided.

Stroke marks :(
Nailtini

This is full-sized, 0.5 fl.oz. for $13.


The last item is the em product.  The options for this item were varied, as were the colors within each item!  I got a Waterliner Intense Color Eyeliner.

em by Michelle Phan Waterliner in Amazing Grey

I was glad to see I was sent an eyeliner; in my Ipsy survey, eyeliner was my desert island beauty product.  It seems, to me at least, that Ipsy actually matched the correct product to me based on my profile! 

Smudgey end of the Waterliner

With all of the pretty and unique colors offered as a waterliner, I was sent Amazing Grey, a shimmery silver.  Oh well.  This was a little hard for my liking, but it has decent staying power.  I like the fact that it is a twist-up liner and comes with a little smudge sponge on the other end.  I do not like the fact that every time I try to take the cap off of my smudger, the entire thing pulls out of the plastic case of the liner!

Waterliner Swatch, bottom right

I'm glad that Ipsy sent out a full-sized em product to each subscriber, this is the best advertising they can get, right to their target demographic.  Good move. 

My three swatches after vigorous rubbing. The Waterliner survived pretty well.

The waterliners sell for $20 and are 280 mg of product.


Total Value: $71.63

This was a really nice bag!  The bronzer matches my skin, the lip crayon isn't too dark or too red, nail polish and eyeliners are always appreciated, and I will absolutely use the false lashes.  I'm glad I got to try an em product; I don't think I will ever buy one on my own, I think they are overpriced.  At least for the eyeliner, I would rather spend $19 on Urban Decay than $20 on em.  This is especially true now that I've gotten to try it out!  For less than $2 per item in this month's bag, I am very happy.  The Starlooks liner alone makes this bag worth it!


Here is my link if you would like to sign up for Ipsy.  I will get 250 referral points for every person who signs up using my link; 1000 points will get me a bonus item.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me. This post contains a referral link; see above for details.

The Week in Nails, October 6

Julep Hoch from the Trina Turk Fall 2012 Collection.  Grayish teal creme.
Accent Nail China Glaze Deviantly Daring.  Green/teal duochrome.

Shades of Teal

In person this was a subtle accent nail.  I liked it.  I wore this for 1 day.


My October Julep Maven box came, so I tried out my new polishes (Cleopatra, black, and Valerie, green).

Julep Colors

Then, I decided to add Essie Luxe Effects in Shine of the Times over everything.  I wore this for like 4 days and got a lot of complements on it.

Perfect for October!

Naked nails for a day :( and then I bit them all off because life is stressful at the moment.

Nailtini in Mai Tai from Ipsy. 2 days.

This polish lasts a long time without chipping!

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me.

Retrospective: Ipsy January 2013

Ipsy January 2013: Month 6; Super Stars

Ipsy Bag, January 2013

This is the biggest bag sent, I use it as my everyday makeup bag still.  It is dark blue with a star printed lining.

Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play
Photo from Ipsy

I don't use hair spray.  I don't like hair spray.  This is sitting, lonely, in my bathroom closet, just waiting for the day I decide to use it.  I'm holding onto it because I just might need it some day and it's the only hairspray I have.  Scratch that.  I just went to look for it to get the size and I must have traded it to a friend.  OH WELL.  See how much I care?

Full size 10.6 oz is $17.95 on Ulta.  The sample size is 1.6 oz, worth approximately $2.71.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
Photo from Ipsy

I have a ton of argan oil already, so I gave this one to my mom and told her to use it on her face or on the ends of her hair.  I don't know if she has tried it, but that's what I use it for, and I like it.

Full size (large) is 50 mL for $48. Sample size is 5 mL, worth $4.80.

Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary
Photo from Ipsy

This is my second polish from Nailtini, and I wish I had gotten the sheer pink as I have a lot of red polishes already.  This is a little deeper than some of the ones I have, and has absolutely no shimmer to it.  It is just a pure, rich red color.  2 coats is enough for full and even coverage.

Full size, $13.

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter
Photo from Ipsy

This is pretty strongly scented, but smells good.  It is a very thick body butter and hydrates very well.  I wouldn't go out of my way to buy more, but that's only because I have so many lotions! I'd gladly accept another sample, though, or a different product in the same scent.

This is their smallest size that they sell, 2.5 oz, and it goes for $7.

SoHo Eyeliner Brush (middle)
Photo from Ipsy

The final item everyone got was one of three brushes from SoHo.  I got the eyeliner brush and hardly ever use it, because I mostly wear eyeliner pencil, and when I don't, I use my MAC eyeliner brush instead.

Value $7.99

Total Value $35.50

I do like when Ipsy sends out things other than makeup, like they did this month, but I mostly get this bag so I can try new makeup brands.  This had only the nailpolish, and even that is pushing it.  I suppose after a few makeup-only bags, we can get some other things, but I wasn't as excited about it.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy November 2012

This was the first month since I had been subscribing that there was an "OR" item.  There were a few months before I joined where this happened.

Ipsy November 2012: Month 4; Party Perfect!

November 2012 Bag
Photo from Ipsy

This bag was pretty simple.  It was dark brown with a faux-leather zipper.  The inside of the bag was also dark brown.

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Dare Devil
Photo from Ipsy

This smells like spiced rum to me, which makes it weird to use.  I do like the color, though! It is on the sheer side so it isn't too dark, and has some nice shimmer to it without being overly glittery.  It's a very nice holiday color.

Full size is $18 for 4.5 mL.  The sample Ipsy sent was half of the full size, 2.25 mL, for a value of $9.

Chella Defining Brow Gel (Clear)
Photo from Ipsy

This was the either/or item.  Other people received a sample of Benefit's They're Real! Mascara.  I wouldn't pay full price for just a clear eyebrow gel, but I do use this now that I have it.  I would imagine there isn't much of a difference between this and a drugstore brand, other than the price.

Full size (0.2 fl.oz.) costs $18 and the sample size 0.12 fl.oz which gives it a value of $10.80

theBalm Meet Matt(e) in Matt Batali
Photo from Ipsy

I like that this eyeshadow pan came in its own little magnetic box! It keeps it from getting everywhere and I don't have to stick a magnet to it or anything.  This is a matte eggplant color, and looks really nice as part of a purple smokey eye.  They don't make the original Meet Matt(e) palette anymore, but they do have a Meet Matt(e) Nude version with more eyeshadow for your money.

Meet Matt(e) Nude is $42 for 25.5g (9 shadows).  The sample weight is 0.9g, making it worth $1.48 at the nude palette pricing.  If I went by the discontinued palette pricing it would be slightly more, as that one was more expensive per gram of shadow.

Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Millionaire
Photo from Ipsy

This is the first Nailtini product I received, and I really liked it.  This is a clear base with rose gold microglitter and gold and green bar glitters.  It is another nice holiday color. It applies well and dries fast, since it is a glitter.

This is full size (0.5 fl.oz.) and retails for $13.

Starlet Intense Eyeliner in Chocolate
Photo from Ipsy

This was a dud.

This is full size (1.5g), and while this color isn't on their website and the packaging on their other eyeliners is different, they sell for $11.

Total Value $45.28

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Ipsy sends you a great value for your $10.  This bag was full or deluxe sample items and is definitely for the makeup-obsessed.  There was a little of every makeup category in this bag, which Ipsy is really good at doing.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Ipsy July 2013 Review

My July Ipsy finally showed up! 

What's in the bag?

Not bad!

The contents this month are: 

Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai (full size- $13).  This is a warm, dark orange.  I like this brand a lot and this polish is no exception.

Nailtini Mai Tai

Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon in Coral Crush (full size- $4.17.. part of a 6-pack for $25) 

Pop Beauty 

Also included: 

BH Cosmetics California Collection, 3-pack eyeshadow sample These are not very pigmented on their own and definitely need a primer to wear. I attempted a swatch but without primer or my brushes, it was futile. I like the little magnetic-closure case, though! Very cute. ($3 at the single-pan price, assuming these are full-sized pans. However, the palettes these are from are on sale for $9.99 right now!) 

Coola Mineral Sunscreen SPF 20 Unscented. (7 mL- $5.04. Full size $36 for 50 mL) I received the cucumber version in a Birchbox and haven't tried either yet! I love that these are sealed shut and am saving them for my upcoming vacation. 

Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof Humidity Resistant Spray. (50 mL- $7.58. Full size $18.95 for 125 mL) 

Total value $32.79 

I paid $10 for this bag and think I received some great products. The spoiler this month was for Benetint, but I already have a few small bottles of it as well as a full-sized posietint. I'm happy with what I got and I can't wait to try out the weather proof spray! It has been so so humid here on the east coast and my curls just go bonkers. The lip crayon applies really nicely and is a gorgeous color. I love the Revlon Just Bitten stain crayons and this has a similar application and color payoff. Probably my favorite item in the bag. The nail polish is pretty, I don't quite have a color like this. I have a lighter shade of this color and a brighter one, but this is a little more on the subdued side. The eyeshadow is just ok... I'll have to see how I feel about it when I get the chance to put it over primer. Sunscreen is always good when you are as pale as I am. I like that they sent me the unscented one, although the rose would have been nice too. 

There were some variations in the products this month.  Other people may have gotten Demeter Salt Air Perfume Roll-on, Coola Rose Essence SPF 20 Tinted Moisturizer, Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray, Benefit Benetint, or Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub.

If you would like to sign up for Ipsy, here is my referral link. It is $10 a month and you get 4-5 deluxe and full-sized samples in a cute makeup bag every month.  If you sign up using my link, I get a bonus item after a certain number of referrals.  

All products in this post were purchased by me, through Ipsy, and all opinions are my own.