IPSY BAG: November 2013

still playing catch up! when will i ever get there??

work has been busy busy busy! lots of year-end stuff to do as well as prepare for an audit.
also, happy chinese new year! i spent the day visiting a couple of temples, walked around a mall and just altogether, spending time with the family.

so as i try my best to catch up, here are my quick thoughts on the November "Glam It Up" bag for ipsy...

1) Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in "Shameless" 

A glossy lip crayon with a smooth texture that is perfect for travel and touch-ups on the go.

this is described as a burgundy with shimmer. the shimmer is too much for me... it gives off a metallic-like look that i am not a fan of. scroll to the end for more swatches!

size: 2.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $14

promotion: 40% off online purchase and free lip gloss until Dec 15, 2013 [US only; expired]

2) Pixi Beauty Beauty Bronzer in "Subtly Suntouched"

This bronzing powder gives your complexion the warmth and luminosity of naturally sunkissed skin. Hydrating, silky-smooth & long-wearing, it also protects against free radicals. Contains Vitamin E to protect the skin and mica, which provides dense natural pigment.

"Subtly Suntouched" is medium honey tan - we all know how many bronzers i own right? well if you didn't, let's just say too (too too) many. although i've always wanted to try more Pixi products (always tempted by their display at Target), i feel like the price range for this makeup line is too high. maybe it's the shiny plastic packaging? 

size: 3.2 g (full size!)

retail value: $18

promotion: 25% off online purchase until Dec 15, 2013 [US only; expired]

3) EM Michelle Phan Lip Gallery Creamy Color Sheer Lipstick in "I'm Taken All Red-y" 

Inspired by the girl who believes less is more. A fresh tint of just right color for a dreamy pout. Lightweight, creamy texture with sheer, buildable color quality. Silky shine finish and conditioning comfort.

so this was the product that was highly anticipated with Michelle Phan's release of her makeup line. i like the idea of a sheer red lipstick since these can help ease the transition to a full red lip. oh and the name is quite cute. 

but

it looks red in the swatch below but in reality, it is more orange. it's light and shiny on the lips and since it is a sheer lipstick, you can easily remove it with a tissue. more swatches below!

size: 3.5 g (full size!)

retail value: $15

promotion: 30% off online purchase until Nov 30, 2013 [US only; expired]

4) HSI Professional Argan Oil Leave-In Hair Treatment

Discover HSI Professional Argan Oil, the product your hair needs for constant nourishment and incredible shine! The essential nutrients contained in this magic-in-a-bottle product are meant to give your hair a very healthy look, lots of shine and velvet smoothness. Use as a leave-in treatment conditioner, heat protectant or frizz tamer. Suitable for all hair types.

hair oils! that's another thing i have too much of... not much to say here since it's like all other hair oils to me. 

size: 5 mL

retail value: $29.99 (60 mL)

promotion: 50% off online purchase until Dec 20, 2013 [expired]

5) Nailtini Nail Lacquer in "127 Caviar Cocktail" 

Glamour is an attitude as much as a look, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't look the part...all the way down to your fingertips! Just in time for the year's most glamorous season, nailtini is serving ipsters gorgeous nails in two shimmering shades - icy golden Champagne and molten pewter Caviar Cocktail. The perfect finishing touch to glam it up head to toe!

is it weird to say that one of the colors i try to avoid wearing on my nails is grey? i don't know but i just find it a very unflattering color on me. Nailtini describes this pearly polish as a shimmering gunmetal grey. i am putting this in my give away/sell stash though. let me know if you are interested!

size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $13
promotion: 50% off $25+ online purchase and free eyeliner until Dec 31, 2013 [US only; expired]

6) Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil in "GP06 Amethyst"
The Starlooks Gem Eye Pencils provide a magnificent metallic finish and are so versatile, soft, and creamy that they can be used as a liner or eyeshadow base! Each highly-pigmented, unique pencil has a gorgeous, micro-glitter finish.

this eye pencil is really pretty. "Amethyst" is a gorgeous light shimmery purple. it is very pigmented and goes on so smoothly. i like to use it on the inner corners of my eyes but just so you know, the glitter may migrate to your cheeks by the afternoon.

size: 2.4 g (full size!)
retail value: $14
promotion: 40% off online purchase until Dec 15, 2013 [expired]

again, ipsy with plenty of makeup items. i'm not blown away by everything here but mainly because i already have a ton of the same item (i.e. bronzer, hair oil). the Starlooks eye pencil was pretty impressive and the em sheer lipstick isn't bad either.

so yep! random Q - what are you guys hooked on watching these days? i was browsing Netflix and decided to start 'Sherlock'. just finished my first episode and so tempted to just watch another one but i have work tomorrow and each episode is like a movie... hahaha what to do!

LUXE BOX: October 2013 [Fall Edition]

hellooooooooooo lovelies! it is December! two weeks in and i hardly started Christmas shopping... i probably have 1.75 gifts done. ack! definitely got more shopping for myself done... how's your Christmas shopping going??

btw, parking is getting insane! the last two times i've gone to the mall, it has literally been like stalking prey and stealing their parking spots. it's crazy out there!

speaking of craziness, we had a blizzard that started about 9 days ago and temperatures dropped to about -43 degrees with windchill. since then, there has been over 2,000 car accidents! yikes! stay safe on the road!

anyway, quick post about my Loose Button box for Fall (you know, Winter hasn't officially started yet!) -

1) Loose Button Flat Eye Shadow Brush
The tapered, flat bristles work brilliantly for packing eyeshadow on the lid.


the Loose Button branded items are very hit or miss with me. with this eye shadow brush, it's a hit. at first i wasn't too impressed... but then i watched the Makeup Geek video and i realized that i had never pressed eyeshadow on like that - it's life-changing. really.

size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $19

2) L'Occitane Supple Skin Oil
Enriched with powerful almond proteins and essential oils of peppermint, palmarosa and Immortelle. Supple Skin Oil works to protect the skin's support tissue and fight against loss of elasticity. Deeply nourishing formula can be used to prevent the formation of stretch marks.


i've bought a few stretch mark products in my lifetime but have not fully incorporated them into my routine regularly enough to see results. i do not see myself getting more stretch marks anytime soon but will definitely keep it in mind!

size: 15 mL
retail value: $52 (50 mL)

3) Michael Kors SPORTY CITRUS, SEXY AMBER and GLAM JASMINE Eau De Parfum Sprays
Sporty Citrus: A dazzling burst of citrus with luscious orange flower and a hint of warm woods. Casually chic and fresh.
Sexy Amber: A spotlight on warm amber wrapped in sandalwood, layered with white flowers. Sumptuous and deeply seductive.
Glam Jasmine: A bouquet of lush jasmine with accents of creamy woods. Overtly feminine and head-turning.

i'm a fan of Michael Kors but these perfume sprays are not exactly my cup of tea. "Sporty Citrus" was my least favorite - it was really musky and strong... not very citrusy at all and quite overwhelming actually.
"Sexy Amber" was slightly better, but still rather musky and overpowering. it does smell like flowers though. and next we have "Glam Jasmine". which would be my pick from the three. most floral and girly of them all. plus it is much 'lighter' than the other two.
i have the say the packing of the three scents are really cute though.

size: 1.5 mL each x 3
retail value: $75 (50 mL)

4) TheBalm Instain Powder Blush in "Swiss Dot"
TheBalm’s long-wearing, staining powder blush is a fashion must have! Perfect for all seasons and skin tones, it will give your cheeks color that won’t quit.

i have a full size version in "Houndstooth" which i am using almost everyday (much much delayed review on that one!) and this color - "Swiss Dot" is pretty awesome as well.
"Swiss Dot" is a peach color and it's a very pigmented peach. a little goes a long, long, long way. the sample looks rather tiny but i am sure it would last you a while. the little magnetic booklet is also super cute and convenient to throw in your purse.

size: 0.5 g

retail value: $28 (5.5 g)

5) HSI Professional Argan Oil 

Infuse your hair with essential nutrients to instantly give your locks a healthy, shiny and smooth appearance. This formula protects your hair from heat styling without weighing down your hair.

is it just me or should i be expecting more than sample sachets from Loose Button?? i mean, this is supposed to be a LUXE box and one-use sachets don`t scream luxe to me.

here, we have 4 one-use sachets of argan oil for your hair. my hair has been rather damaged since dying my hair (i cannot believe how quickly i got split ends) so sure, argan oil, i will use you. i`ve only used half of one on my ends since i am not a fan of oily hair. it feels nice and soft right now but that`s pretty much expected of any hair oil.

size: 1 use packet x 4

retail value: $30 (60 mL)

6) Simple Pleasures Hand Cream in "Melon Mist"

Pamper your hard-working hands with this enriching formula, by Simple Pleasures.

i am not exactly sure why - but it`s probably the packaging - but this lotion seems very cheap to me. the pattern, the gold font, the list of ingredients that include various colors and numbers... meh. i was not surprised that when i used it, the cream itself was very watery. i found that i needed to reapply within 30 minutes. "Melon Mist" could almost have been mistaken for "Unscented" since the melon is sooooo light, it is almost undetectable.

size: 50 mL (full size!)

retail value: $10

7) China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "81348 Gossip Over Gimlets" 

Dive into the Autumn Nights Collection with China Glaze. This formula not only includes nail hardeners, but is super opaque allowing for minimal coats.

the Fall 2013 Autumn Nights Collection consists of 12 colors. "Gossip Over Gimlets" is a silver foil with little gold specks in it. i don't exactly like silver nail polish so this would be my least favorite color in the whole collection. not going to do a swatch since i don't think it's worth cracking open...

size: 14 mL (full size!)

retail value: $7

sooooo i am sure you can tell that i was just not impressed with this box. it saddens me to think that i paid almost $30 for this. i am not amazed by anything really in this box but i am happy about the brush and the powder blush. i really hope the Winter box will  be better since it is around the holidays or i really will be saying goodbye to another subscription. i've finally discovered the power to say no to subscriptions so *pat on the back*.

so thanks for reading! happy holidays!!