IPSY BAG: November 2014

look at what a sick day can give me! enough free time to set up back-to-back posts! whee ~
ipsy's November bag - "Girls Meets Glitter"

1) Elizabeth Mott : you're so FINE Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in "Glitterati"
It’s not just any liquid eyeliner. With you’re so FINE’s micro-tipped brush, you can control your strokes to create dramatic, and sharp cat eyes! This brush is so control friendly that creating precise, symmetrical lines is ridiculously easy, so it’s perfect for first time liquid eyeliner users too.
size: 3 g (full size!)
retail value: $17.99
promotion: 50% off online purchase with code IPSYFINE; expired 1/10/15

i was just thinking of trying a new liquid eyeliner. i would have preferred if i got the other color which is just regular ol' 'Black'. this eyeliner is thin but it really isn't that fine. the glitter makes it difficult to be extremely precise but i don't really have an issue with that since i have to line my eyes super thick anyway. the eyeliner dries quick enough and stays put throughout the work day. yep, i wore it to work; it's pretty and subtle enough.
a quick note about the smell though. glitter eyeliners always has this super manufactured smell that makes you pause and think, 'ugh, whatever chemicals are in this must be horrible for me' but then you bat your eyes and shrug, meh.

2) J. Cat Beauty : Wonder Lip Paint in "WLP111 Red Potion"
For invincible color and impeccable wear, the Wonder Lip Paint serves justice! With the twofold blend of endurance and delivery of intense pigmentation, this will become your heroine of lip colors. Paint your lips to perfection for your day and nighttime adventures! 
size: 10 mL (full size!)
retail value: $4.99
promotion: 25% off online purchase with code 25JCAT; expired 12/31/14

these Wonder Lip Paints obviously come across as wannabe OCC Lip Tars. they also come in 36 colors including greys and greens.
i haven't invested in Lip Tars yet so i was happy to give this a try. the tiniest amount, as you can see, gives you more than enough product that is for sure leaving a stain behind.
i love the dark shade 'Red Potion' appears to be in the tube but it blends out to be more of a wine-berry shade but i am sure i can layer it on if needed.
a word of caution if you are using your fingers because it can messy around the lip area, and of course, on your finger.

3) Be A Bombshell Cosmetics : Eye Base in "Submissive"
This eye base is a highly pigmented, long-lasting product that can be used as a single cream color or used as an eye base to build color. 
size: 2.5 g (full size!)
retail value: $14.00

"Submissive" is described on the Be A Bombshell website as an intense creamy bronze with gold shimmer. it really is not that intense but rather just a base. and it is a fairly good base. my eyeshadow has stayed on for about 12 hours, although it obviously doesn't look like it did when i first applied my makeup but still impressive. 

4) TEMPTU : S/B Highlighter in "050 Pink Pearl"
A cult favorite of makeup artists around the globe, TEMPTU S/B Highlighter is the perfect product that goes on sheer for an overall illuminating and contouring effect. Light-reflecting and transfer resistant, S/B Highlighter glides on effortlessly for a brilliant complexion boost that contours to highlight your best features.
size: 3 mL
retail value: $27.50 (30 mL) or $100.00 (120 mL)
promotion: 25% off online purchase with code IPSY; expired 12/31/14; US only

S/B? huh? that required a little bit of digging on the TEMPTU website.
S/B stands for silicone-based which TEMPTU suggests for a soft focus effect. in the swatch below, 'Pink Pearl' is not screaming SPARKLE but instead you see a soft shimmer when the light touches it.
i know TEMPTU is recognized as an airbrush makeup company but this particular product can be applied with an airbrush, fingers, brush or sponge. all you really need is a few drops. the sample we got was tiny but i guess you can throw it in your purse for some highlighting touch ups.
TEMPTU's highlighters also come in various shades of shimmer and bronze.

5) Marc Anthony : Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray
Get extra volume, shine and hold with this dual purpose hairspray; nourishing and styling in one! This argan oil, keratin and grape seed oil infused hairspray gives you strong and flexible hold plus deep nourishment, strengthening and conditioning as you style. 
size: 53 mL
retail value: $8.99

nice citrus scent but i have yet to fully test out the hold feature since i normally let me hair do its own thang since it is naturally straight (and a little boring). i mean, who has time to do their makeup and their hair in the morning? not this girl. i like sleep.

this has been a pretty good bag - i was excited about the eyeliner, lip paint and the eye base. all of which i will use regularly. i was initially afraid of products being too glittery when i read the word GLITTER as being the theme but most of it is subtle and wearable.

AT THIS MOMENT ...
currently listening: Girls Chase Boys - Ingrid Michaelson
just watched: nothing yet :) just going through Doctor Who episodes!
still watching: Doctor Who Season 5 // Walking Dead Season 5 // Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 1 // Vampire Diaries Season 5
now reading: "When God Was a Rabbit" by Sarah Winman

REVIEW: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Charm"

check out my first post with swatches on Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (2.7 g) with the color "Honey".

i really enjoyed the formula and the packaging of Revlon's latest success in lip products so i did not hesitate in getting another one. i picked up "035 Charm" at CVS for US$6.49 when i was in L.A.
if i lived in the states, i would shop at CVS ALL the time because by purchasing the Revlon Balm Stain which was already on sale (originally US$9.29), it came with a $4 coupon to be used on your next purchase. so in my funny way of calculations, the Balm Stain totally works out to be like $2.49! what a steal!
... come to think of it, why didn't i get more?!

"Charm" is sheerer than "Honey" was - it is a very soft peach color. when i checked out swatches online before purchasing this color, it seemed that it looked different on everyone, depending on how dark or light your lips are. on my pigmented lips, the peachy-ness is not really there but has the look of a nude gloss. again, it glides on so easily and is very moisturizing.

you can bring out the peach color a bit by putting a few more layers on. but if you choose to do so and then press your lips together, the product tends to move to the edges (due to its' gel formula) and then a visible line would form around your lips.
i definitely prefer "Charm" over "Honey" - i really like the soft touch of peach. since it seems so sheer, it was unexpected that a stain would remain after the balm part has faded but it did - just a pinch of rosiness. i feel like i can wear this anytime.

as you can see, the color is very sheer but is buildable.

so now i have two! look how pretty they are together!

how big is your Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain stash? :)

REVIEW: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in "Honey"

FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY
Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (2.7 g; $7.97 at Superstore) have arrived in Canada!!!! yippee :)

i first saw them available at Superstore and over the weekend, they began popping up at Shopper's and Walmart.
i didn't even really think about what color i wanted. i just sort of grabbed one and that was it. usually there's a complex decision making system i go through but i already knew that i would be purchasing more so this was just a start!

i picked up "001 Honey" which looks like a dusty rose. i love the packaging. it looks like a super-sized crayon - which makes it so much more fun to apply since it actually looks like you're drawing on your lips :). to get more product, you just twist the bottom. once i work through the product, i do not think that pointed-end shape will be maintained - wouldn't it just flatten out? or become a slope like a lipstick?
it has a minty scent and applies incredibly smoothly. it is very moisturizing but this does fade by the hour. on the other hand, the color remains so really you can just touch up with a lip balm.

the shade in the tube is actually darker than what you expect so be warned when you are picking a color out.  the tube color is a better representation of what it will look like once it is applied. "Honey" is a dusty pink that is actually leaning towards purple. the color can be sheer if you prefer it that way but can also be layered. the following photos show the difference:

artificial light; natural light

one layer:

a few layers:

NOTE:
i will be in LAAAAAAAAAAA in a little over 12 hours (should start packing - it's so hard because a girl needs selection!!). i will be purchasing more of these since i think it will be cheaper there. but any suggestions to what else i should pick up while i'm there? let me know! i welcome any ideas regarding things i should buy, places i should visit or food i must eat.
if i have time tonight, i might try to throw together a quick Topbox post since i got one today. sadly, i can't show you July's BB5 just yet because i was missing a product. i have emailed them and am waiting for a response.

thank you for reading! what colors will you be picking up?