IPSY BAG: September 2014

the September Ipsy bag was all about Street Style and came in a metallic grey studded bag.

1) Crown Brush : Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush (C476)
This dual-ended brush offers the best of both worlds. The shadow brush is perfect for applying eye shadow or contouring the eye, while the crease brush is designed to be used dry for defining the eye, or wet for precision concealing. 
size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $17.50 (on sale for $6.99)
promotion: 30% off $25 or more online purchase with code CROWNIPSY30; expires Dec 31, 2014

this duet brush is part of the Infinity series which are made of synthetic fibers. i have not owned any other dual-ended brush prior to this and although it is useful to just flip the brush over when applying eye shadow, it is a tad more difficult to store. if i store it upright, one of the ends is going to get bent... hmmmmm.

2) Hikari : Lipstick in 'Cabernet'

Amp up the color with Hikari’s richly colored lip stick. The high pigmented formula glides on smoothly with a matte finish. Layer this formula to build color for a perfectly enchanted pout.
size: 3.8 g (full size!)
retail value: $13.00
promotion: 30% off online purchase with code HIKARI30; US only; expires Oct 31, 2014

the packaging looks exactly like Be a Bombshell... so i am thinking the two companies buy their cosmetics from the same company and just put their labels on it. the black box and the sticker are exactly the same (check out some Be a Bombshell products here and here).

on the website, "Cabernet" is described as a rich red wine (which sounds about right). in the swatch on my lips, the color is not so pink but a deeper red. it is however, that pigmented - which i really like. i didn't find it drying and it is like the perfect color for fall. love!

3) Pacifica : Natural Eye Pencil in 'Fringe'

These rich water-proof, buttery smooth eye pencils glide on smooth and deliver big color pay off with every stroke. Long-lasting natural formula, provides hours of wear and contains beneficial ingredients great for the sensitive eye area.
size: 0.73 g
retail value: $11.00 (2.8 g)
promotion: 20% off online purchase with code FallBeauty; US and Canada only; expires Oct 31, 2014

the color 'Fringe' is essentially a brown. i haven't used an eye pencil in sooo long, let alone one that was not black. somebody suggested using this for eyebrows... i might just have to try that!

4) Briogeo : Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask

Repair and treat dry, damaged and breaking hair with Don't Despair, Repair!™ deep conditioning mask. Fortified with ultra-hydrating avocado, sweet almond & argan oils, strengthening keratin protein, power-conditioning rosehip oil, soothing aloe, and super hair-essential vitamins B5, D, A, E and biotin. This unique complex of targeted ingredients helps increase hair elasticity and moisture to prevent breakage, promotes healthy shine and luster, and replenishes strength. Comprised of 95 percent naturally-derived ingredients. This product is free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, artificial fragrances, artificial dyes, and gluten. It is cruelty-free and contains organic ingredients.
size: 29.57 mL
retail value: $26.00 (155 mL)
promotion: free shipping with code IPSYSEP14; US only; expires Oct 15, 2014

i am not one for hair masks but i figured that since i did indeed get my hair dyed recently, i might as well try this. it softened up my hair and i really enjoy the sweet almond scent.

5) Nourish Organic : Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser with Cucumber + Watercress
This gentle cleanser washes away impurities without drying, irritating or causing redness. Cucumber hydrates and soothes. Watercress, rich in antioxidants, helps protect skin from free radical damage. Alcohol-Free. Gluten-Free. Vegan.
size: 30 mL
retail value: $13.99 (177 mL)
promotion: 30% off any facial product with code IPSY30; US and Canada; expires Nov 30, 2014
the cleanser says fragrance-free but there is a scent to it - which i do not particularly like. maybe it's the watercress? not sure what watercress is supposed to smell like though.

aaaaaand that's it. it is a pretty decent ipsy bag. nothing too fancy but some key mentions include the Hikari lipstick and the Crown dual-ended brush.

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: anything by Jessie Ware [Wildest Moments / Want Your Feeling | If You're Never Gonna Move / Sweet Talk / Running] 
just watched: City of God
still watching: Doctor Who Season 3
now reading: When God Was a Rabbit

IPSY BAG: October 2013

happy sunday! 

i finally have time to sit down and blog about this ipsy bag :) 

this weekend was quite eventful since we had the company holiday party on Friday night. it was a good time and i love dressing up for these occasions. holiday decorations and music make me so happy! the celebration was located at Spruce Meadows - i have not ventured out here before but i hear the Christmas Market is pretty fun. 

here's a picture i posted on instagram with my fellow accountants :)

and nowww the ipsy bag for October: "The Art of Beauty".

1) Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmers in "NSH20 Emotion"

It's easy to create a variety of looks with Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmers! As an 8-in-1 product, the Mineral Shimmers are a creamy eye shadow, matte eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip color, nail polish, mascara, body glitter, and hair color for fun hair streaks! Available for purchase in 60 luminous and luxurious shades.

this is a very shimmery purple pigment. the shimmer does not show up as much in the swatch though. i hardly reach for mineral eyeshadows but these are definitely fun for holiday parties! this was not very long lasting so i would suggest a primer, which would also help with the color intensity. 

the other option ipsy subscribers received was Navy. 

size: 2 g
retail value: $14.99 (2.5 g)
promotion: 50% off purchase and free shipping [expired Nov 15, 2013]

2) Coastal Scents Classic Medium Shadow Brush - Natural (BR-C-N02)
The Coastal Scents Shadow Brush is a medium sized brush made out of natural fibers that is wide in shape and condensed to allow an even distribution of eyeshadow on the lid. This professional cosmetic brush can be used for shading the crease and highlighting the brow bone with complete precision.

i used to contemplate about placing a Coastal Scents order for the longest time... but just never went through with it. now i get the chance to try one of their brushes! i was actually looking for this particular size of a brush. the natural hairs (there is also a synthetic version) are quite soft. i used this brush with the Bella Terra mineral shimmer - it picked up the product well and distributed the product evenly.

size: 1 brush (full size!)
retail value: $2.49
promotion: 25% off purchase [expired Nov 7, 2013]

3) Nourish Organic Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Body Lotion
Nourish Organic's new Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Oil collection is a new collection of ultra-moisturizing body lotions and body washes that hydrate, soften and smooth the skin. These products contain highly concentrated, precious ingredients that replenish your skin with essential nutrients and restore your skin's natural glow.

this body lotion has a whipped kind of texture and absorbs quickly... maybe too quickly - i feel that i need to use more of this lotion in order to feel that my hands are "deeply nourished". it's great if you don't like the greasy feeling afterwards (my guitar-playing boyfriend would have no complaints about that!). the scent is coconut and argan with hibiscus (i prefer just coconut but this smells alright - not too strong). according to ipsy, the hibiscus is rich in antioxidants and protects from environmental damage. other scents available are Lavender Mint and Almond Vanilla.

size: 30 mL
retail value: $9.99 (236 mL)
promotion: 20% off Nourish Organic purchase on target.com or in store [expired Nov 10, 2013 and N/A in Canada]

4) Sexy Hair Spray Clay Texturizing Spray Clay
The Sexy Hair Spray Clay Texturizing Spray Clay creates and allover textured look with a matte finish. This spray allows for a fine and even product distrbution and is great for all hair types.

this Spray Clay is used for adding texture and movement without the crunchiness.
you can use the product just like a regular hair spray (same nozzle and aerosol can).

as you can see, the cap on mine is a little bunged up but the product is okay.

size: 50 mL
retail value: $18.95 (157 mL)
promotion: $5 off $25 Sexy Hair purchase on ulta.com or in store [expired Nov 15, 2013 and N/A in Canada]

5) Zoya Nail Polish in "ZP679 Neve"
Part of the Fall 2013 CASHMERES & SATINS Collection, these shades are created to work together with this season's most stylish runway designs and luxurious fabric blends. These ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are BIG5FREE - free of toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).

ipsy members either got this color Neve (sapphire blue metallic), Giovanna (emerald green metallic) or Mason (red violet metallic).
Neve is described as a sapphire blue and if you look closely, you will see fine green and red glitters. i really wish i could capture that on camera since it is really pretty. i find that my camera also captures more of the blue in the polish while it is actually slightly more purple.

 i apologize for the bad swatch! it is actually more purple than this!

i love the formula of Zoya polishes - they are 5 free and are rather easy to remove - no staining! the polish lasted me long enough before i got bored with the color. it did start chipping within 3-4 days.

size: 15 mL (full size!)
retail value: $8
promotion: buy 2 nail polishes, get 1 free and a free Zoya Remove + at zoya.com [expired Nov 10, 2013 and N/A in Canada]

- - -

so here's the entire ipsy bag! ipsy always delivers in terms of variety... which can mean value for some. personally, i still enjoy ipsy. i need to make sure that i start doing those reviews on ipsy so that the ipsymatch could be more accurate.

thanks for reading!

have you started attending holiday parties / or started holiday shopping yet?