Rock and Roll with ipsy - April '14

April's ipsy bag rocked out, with its various beauty products out :) The theme was Beauty Rocks, and for the most part I'm happy with what I received. 

First, I have to say that the bag itself (which is too cute with its glorious purple self) reeked when I first took it out if the mailer. Did anyone else have that issue? I had to put a dryer sheet inside it and leave it on a bookcase, unzipped, to air out. It took about 2 weeks to air out well enough for me to stand holding it. Crazy! Thank goodness whatever the smell was didn't transfer to the products inside.

Now onto the goodies! I received:

City Color White Gold Shadow and Highlight Mousse: when I first saw this, and saw the airy, mousse-like consistency, I was a bit hesitant to use it. Now, I think this may be my favorite product that I received in this bag. As the name implies, it goes on white, but blends to this gorgeous golden shimmer. Definitely not an everyday look, but I'm glad to have it in my collection;

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant: I'll be gifting this to one of my sisters or a friend. I've read that it has a pleasing lemon smell, but I'm leery of the actual microdermabrasion aspect of the product. I've found a few face products that age worth my skin, and I'll be sticking to those for now;

Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse: this is another product that will be gifted away. I don't use mousse in my hair, so this one's wasted on me. I have lots of friends that seat by Big Sexy products, so I'll have no problem finding someone to take it off my hands; and

A Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in the shade Apple Pink: this is a full-sized product and is very pigmented which is great. Stylishly, it comes off as more of a lipstick, then a tinted balm. The nude/pink shade, however, is not the best for me. I can work with it if I keep it light and maybe layer it worth another shade. We'll see.

Lastly, I received an Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Black Velvet. I'm always happy to receive an Urban Decay product; especially when it's such a generous sample size. I have yet to use this since I so rarely use eyeliner, but I've been hearing/reading good things.

What did you other ipsters think of your April bag?

If you don't yet subscribe but would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link at http://bit.ly/154vUAf :).

Later gators,
M

Hey Mike, Mike, Mike, guess what day it is.

It's that time again!

My Birchbox came this past Hump Day, and it's GOOD :)

This month's theme is More Good (yea, a Thanksgiving themed box! :), and I really like the selection of goodies they chose for me.

Seriously, this month's box is chock full of goodies I actually like, and can use. (More) good on you, Birchbox.

"As any Thanksgiving feast can attest, this is not the time for holding back.  Rather, this month - and the entire holiday season- is about abundance in all forms. More thanks, more giving, more thoughtfulness, more samples, and of course more pumpkin pie and stuffing.

All month [Birchbox'll] be bringing you ideas for how you can bring more good to your life..."

More pumpkin pie and stuffing? Yes, please! I can taste my dad's cornbread stuffing already :) Man, I love Turkey Day.

This month I received:

1) Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow oil-free SPF 25 foundation: I'm excited about this. I did a quick test on the back of my hand and, while I first thought the shade would be to dark, it blended so smoothly and easily that I think it will work. I use Bare Minerals foundation, but i think this will work well as a little something extra for dark under-eye circles;

2) Ayres Midnight Tango Body Butter: The description card says that the "moisturizer has a heady (dare we say sexy?) scent", and that's 100% right. It smells AMAZING, and made my hands feel wonderfully soft. I may invest in the full-size of this one;

3) Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: This face wash apparently mimics the microdermabrasion process, leaving the face smooth and glowing. We'll see how this one works. I'm using a couple of different face washes now, but I'll get around to this one eventually. It's a nice sample size though; and

4) Color Club Nail Polish: I received a cool blue color called Baldwin Blues. I love receiving nail polish, and I don't yet have a blue this shade.

My Lifestyle Extra this month was a trio of tea pouches from Mighty Leaf. I received Vanilla Bean, Organic African Nectar and the one I'm most exited to try Green Tea Tropical (a blend of sweet pineapple and guava). I'm a regular tea drinker, so I'm sure I'll enjoy these.

So, as I've said, I'm more than pleased with my November box. To all you other Birchboxers out there, what did you think of your boxes? Did they contain 'more good'?

If you're not yet a subscriber, but would like to be, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link (share the love and all that goodness). Just click HERE :)

Later gators,
M

This September, Birchbox is celebrating their Heritage

My September Birchbox came yesterday :)

This month's theme is Heritage; and Birchbox is also celebrating their 3rd anniversary. Good for them. Happy Anniversary!



This month's insert

"HERITAGE

The best part about beauty? It's not the glitter or the gloss, or even those miraculous antioxidants from far-off lands. It's the stories. Every brand we work with, from the just-hatched to the iconic, has its own fascinating history. Just look at Ruffian, a New York-based fashion label started by two designers with a flair for Victorian drama. Their first nail lacquer collection - which all our subscribers will get to try this month - was inspired by the runways but voted on by you. File that away for party conversation when someone compliments your mani.

This also happens to be our anniversary month, and we can't let it pass without thanking the people who have helped create our story: our members. All we had was an idea - we needed you to add the magic.

xoxo,

Katia, Hayley & the Birchbox Team"

(and you can watch their story celebration video at birchbox.com/3years if you're interested)

While I was happy to see the box, the happiness died down quite a bit once I saw everything I received :(

I received the following products:

Beauty Protector Protect & Shampoo, and Protect & Condition: These have a nice vanilla fragrance, but I was just hoping for something other than shampoo and conditioner. I'll probably pass these on to a friend or stick them in a travel bag.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive: I was excited to see this, until I smelled it. I expected a green apple fragrance, or something equally pleasant, but it just smells strange. I know it says 'sensitive', but I'll probably pass this along as well.

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Fox Hunt: This was my 3rd choice color - of three choices. It's still a lovely shade though, so I'm happy to have received it.

I received a packet of Soak Rinse-Free Wash as a Lifestyle Extra. The item comes in five varieties (four scented and one scentless). I received Celebration ("a subtly sweet, fruity scent'). Per the description on Birchbox's site, it's "a low-suds liquid, so any dirt or detergent simply comes out in the water when you wash, leaving whatever is left behind to evaporate. No rinsing means it’s easier on your fabrics and is better for the environment too." I'll try it out.

Just like I said last month, I hope next month's box is better.

If you are a Birchbox subscriber, how did you like your September box? If you haven't gotten your own Birchbox subscription yet, but would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link at http://birch.ly/16gHmcu. Thanks in advance :)

Later gators,
M

Ulta haul! :)

First off, Happy September everyone! I cannot believe that it's September already. This year is flying by.

 

Anyway, on to the makeup :) I ordered three things and received the rest (including the adorable berry colored case) for free. This was my first Ulta order, but it will definitely not be my last. Oh, and the shipping was amazing too. I received my box in less than a week!

 

So, what did I get?

I ordered a clear brow gel, a retractable kabuki brush and the Urban Decay travel-size eyeshadow primer potion in original and greed.

With that I received all of the following for free :)

   - the berry cosmetics case;
   - 3 makeup brushes (contour, eyeshadow and sponge tip);
   - Ulta dual ended eyeliner (deep brown/black);
   - Sunkissed cheek powder;
   - the Neutral eyeshadow quad (colors = bone, ice queen, truffle and gunmetal);
   - the Masquerade eyeshadow quad (colors = iceland, bayou, bloom and plum noir);
   - Ulta lipcolor in #227 Cappuccino;
   - Ulta super shiny lip gloss in #07 Flirtini;
   - Ulta Nail lacquer in Ruby Slipper;
   - Plush Drama Volume mascara in Jet Black; and
   - Skin Renew Hydra Quench Foaming Oil Cleanser.

I definitely loved the price I paid for all these goodies. Hopefully, I'll love all of the actual products. I'll let you know :)

Later gators,
M