Ipsy April 2015 Glambag Review

Ipsy is a cosmetic subscription service. For $10 a month and free shipping you get a new, cute "glambag" with four to five deluxe sample size, or full size beauty products. It's a great and affordable way to try a lot of products that you probably wouldn't normally buy. You can cancel at any time.

I've been subscribed for almost two years now, and it's rare that I don't like at least one item in each bag I receive.

The bags and samples also make great gifts (in my humble opinion) for any beauty lover you might know.





Here's what came in my April bag!

The bag itself is so unique this month!  Ipsy has never done anything like it, that I know of! It's a tweed-like material, in weaved pattern. I love the bright colors! It's also larger than their normal sized bag. The inside has a silky material that is beige colored.  Super cute!


Hikari Cosmetics Blush 
- Shade: Tango
- Size: .21 oz
- Value: $15

Vibrant, easy to blend colors that highlight the cheekbones. Designed to highlight your complexion, our weightless blush can be used lightly for a fresh look or layered for a dramatic look!. An effortless application to the cheekbones that lasts all day!

Tango is described as a matte pink coral. I think it leans more on the orange side, but the photo above is showing it as more pink. I am undecided on whether or not I will be using this blush or saving it to give away as a gift. It looks like it will be very pigmented. I might also like to use it as a very bright transition shade on my eyelids...



theBalm Cosmetics Eyeshadow
- Shade: Fit
- Size: .035 oz
- Value: $3.29

Introducing theBalm's latest addition to the Nude series... Nude Dude! Get a quick look using any combination of these triple-milled shadows or dress up your look by adding water to transform your favorite shades into loyal liners. The shadows can be worn wet or dry and alone or layered for added intensity, so go ahead and cover (or uncover) your eyes.

I love the little package this came in!  It has a magnetic closure, and it opens like a book.  On the inside cover it has a picture of theBalm's new palette: Nude Dude. I have their original "nude" pallete, called "Nude 'Tude" and it features women. It is a wonderful palette, one of my favorites! theBalm's shadows are very creamy, pigmented, and long lasting.

Fit is described as a shimmering copper, and I would say that's very accurate. It's very buttery and smooth and it blended out very easily.  I think the Nude Dude palette will be a good one! If I didn't have too many eyeshadow palettes already, I might pick it up.



Mullein & Sparrow Lip & Cheek Tint
- Shade: N/A, comes in one color
- Size: .25 oz
- Value: $10

The Mullein & Sparrow Mini Lip & Cheek Tint is an all-natural, sheer, tinted balm that gives your lips and cheeks a slight flush and dewy finish. Apply desired amount to lips for nourishment, protection, and color. Dab a small amount on cheeks as a light cream blush. It’s perfect for beauty on-the-go; it brightens the whole face with a sheer rosey flush for the cheeks, gloss for the lips, and a sweet orange scent!

This looks like a wonderful lip and cheek tint, and I love that it is all natural. It smells really nice!  I'll be saving this as a gift for someone.



Lather Ultra Light Face Lotion
- Shade: N/A
- Size: 1 oz
- Value: $10.50

LATHER’s most popular facial moisturizer, this gentle nutrient-rich botanical lotion is perfect for normal-to-oily, combination or sensitive skin. This lotion has a lightweight texture, absorbs rapidly and does not leave an oily film on the skin. Special ingredients, such as borage and grape seed oils, make this lotion especially effective for damaged or problem skin. Those with sensitive skin will find it gentle and non-irritating. Paraben-free.

Because this is for normal to oily skin, and my skin is drier than the desert, I am not going to open this. I'll throw it in my stash of items to give away.



Gallany Cosmetics Lipstick
- Shade: Petal
- Size: 2.2 g
- Value: $10.75 - I could NOT find how much the full size lipstick weighs, so I cut the retail value in half for my estimated value of this deluxe sample.

A luxurious lipstick that is infused with Hungarian Lilac Extract, Edelweiss & Hyaluronic acid for intense hydration as well as Lavender Wax to help repair and smooth lips. In addition, this lipstick delivers super saturated color that will truly make a statement.

First off, this lipstick smells amazing! It is the best smelling lipstick I've ever experienced. It's like a cross between white chocolate and vanilla.  I kind of want to take a bite out of it.  The packaging is super sleek, and I love how shiny it is. It feels luxurious. The closure is more secure than my NYX Butter lipstick (that just happened to be sitting right next to me so I could compare).

Petal is a rosey mauve color, and I love the satin finish. The texture is really creamy, smooth, and luxurious. While wearing it I can smell the delicious scent. It kind of makes me want to lick my lips.



Bag Value:
- Hikari Blush: $15.00
- theBalm eyeshadow: $3.29
- Mullin & Sparrow lip and cheek tint: $10
- Lather face lotion: $10.50
- Gallany lipstick: $10.75

Grand total: $49.54


Even though I'm for sure giving away two items, undecided on one item, and I'm keeping and using only two items, I think this was a great bag full of great products.


Interested in trying Ipsy?  I'd love it if you used my link!
https://www.ipsy.com/r/2mw1

Basin Scalp Soother Shampoo & Conditioner Bars First Impressions

Shampoo bars. Have you heard of them?

Shampoo bars are solid shampoo, essentially. They are little discs that look a lot like soap and they are meant for washing your hair.  They are great for travel, since they are not liquid. Generally they are highly concentrated and use essential oils and other ingredients that are really good for your hair and scalp.

Conditioner bars are similar, but instead of washing your hair, they're meant to soften, or condition your hair.

Recently I picked up the Scalp Soother Shampoo Bar and matching conditioner bar from Basin. And my first impression is: Impressive!


I think my expectations were pretty low. I was expecting it to feel like the time I washed my hair with bar soap (I was five years old).  Don't do that.


It didn't feel like that at all!

On Basin's website it describes the Scalp Soother Shampoo Bar as:
"Gentle ingredients clean and nourish without irritating the scalp."

Fragrance:
Peppermint

Recommended hair types:
Sensitive or dry scalp

Ingredients:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), Cocoa Butter (Theobroma cacao seed oil), Icthamol, Fragrance



In the shower, I picked up the shampoo bar, got it wet, and rubbed it between  my hands until I got a nice lather.  I put the shampoo bar down, and worked the lather through my hair.  It was weird because I did not have much lather on my hands, but I felt like I had too much product for my hair!  It was overly soapy. I have very short hair (shorter than chin length), so I definitely don't need much, but compared to how much shampoo I use, this was much, much less. You can use very little of this, and it spreads easily through your hair.  Next time I will lather the shampoo bar for a shorter time before working it through my hair.


After shampooing my hair felt really refreshed and clean.  What more can I ask of my shampoo?  Plus, it smells really nice.

On Basin's website it describes the Scalp Soother Conditioner Bar as:
"Nourish hair in our creamy Pineapple scented Conditioner Bar made with nutrients to heal, moisturize, regenerate, and strengthen hair."

Fragrance:
Pineapple

Recommended hair types:
All types

Ingredients:
Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl, Coconut Oil, Glycerine, Olive Oil, Fragrance, Jojoba Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, D-Panthernol, and Vitamin E. May contain: Blue 1, Red 40, Red 33, Yellow 5, Orange 4, or oxides.


There is a mistake on the website, because in the store the conditioner bar was advertised the same way as the shampoo bar: Gentle and non-irritating, peppermint scent. For dry and sensitive scalps.

From the lesson I learned with the shampoo bar, I didn't lather the conditioner as long, but it was harder to get a lather.  I worked what little I got off the bar into my hair, but it didn't spread quite as easily.  So I lathered again and got a little more worked through my hair.  It definitely worked at softening my hair.

On the website it says to rub the conditioner bar directly against your hair, so next time I will try that instead of trying to lather it.

The conditioner bar definitely smells like peppermint, and not pineapple.  It's the same scent as the shampoo bar.  The peppermint smell is very natural, much like the essential oil smells, if you've ever smelled that, just not quite as intense.  I have a peppermint lotion that smells very similar.



After using this my hair feels clean and silky smooth.  I'm really excited to use these for travel because I HATE taking liquids through security at the air port.

NARS Sheer Glow and Smashbox Primer Water First Impressions

After purchasing NARS Sheer Glow, I continued reading reviews online and watching reviews on YouTube.

My dad has always told me to stop shopping after purchasing something...

I should have listened.




I came across several reviews that said this foundation, while recommended for dry skin, is not good for dry skin.

I have dry skin!  I panicked.  I was worried that I was going to hate it.



These people said that Sheer Glow would cling to any dry patch on your face.

NOOOO!  My whole face is a dry patch!  I'm ruined!



So, how did NARS Sheer Glow pan out for my first try?

First, let's talk about how I applied it.

I washed my face, and did my normal skin care routine. I then spritzed my face with my new Smashbox Primer Water (more notes on this primer are below).

Nars Sheer Glow does NOT come with a pump, which is a bit disappointing, but I did know this before purchasing.  You can purchase a pump separately, for I think $5.

I poured some Sheer Glow onto the back of my hand, and I mixed what I call a "foundation cocktail" using about a dime sized amount of foundation and one drop of Tarte Maracuja oil. After mixing that around, I dabbed it on my nose, forehead, cheeks and chin.  I used a damp Beauty Blender and blended the foundation into my skin.


I have before and after pictures, but unfortunately, the lighting changes between my No Makeup picture and my Foundation Only picture, so it's hard to tell the differences.

None of these pictures are edited in any way.

Before, no foundation. Hair not up for discussion. ;)

After, one layer of foundation.

After one layer of foundation, the redness on my cheeks was greatly diminished, and the redness on my nose was slightly neutralized.  You could still see my freckles.  I would definitely describe it as sheer coverage.  The finish was what I would call "natural." It had a glow about it that looked like natural skin. I thought it was beautiful!  It did cling to the dry patches on my nose, but it was so minimal that it wasn't picked up by the camera.

I added another layer of foundation, to see how buildable it was.

After two layers of foundation.

I really liked the look of two layers! It's very subtle, but my nose is less red and my freckles are more covered.  The finish was still natural looking. The dry patch on my nose showed up a little more, but again, it wasn't bad at all.

I finished the rest of my makeup, and took pictures throughout the day, seeing how the foundation looked in different lighting.

Outdoors, 1 hour after application.

Indoors, about 1 hour after application.

Two hours after application.

Three hours after application. This was my favorite lighting - the bathroom at Sam's Club! (Hahaha!)

Indoors, about four hours after application.

I think this was 5-6 hour after application, and this was the last photo I took.

I think the lasting power was pretty good considering it lasted throughout talking the dogs for a walk outside in the Florida heat, a toddler climbing on me during lunch time, and shopping at Sam's Club.

I like the coverage, I love the finish.  Everything is going for this foundation!


My problem was with the primer. The Smashbox Primer Water was GREAT for moisturizing my skin, and giving it a great look. However, it did NOTHING for my huge pores. I shouldn't hold that against the Smashbox Primer, because it doesn't claim to help with pores. But seriously:

This was one hour after application.  The camera could focus on my pores. That is disgusting. After seeing this picture, I felt self conscious for the rest of the day.  Granted, no one will look this close at my face except me, but when my regular primer fills in my pores so they NEVER look like this, this was shocking to me.

So the Smashbox Primer Water got a big FAIL from my first impression, but the NARS Sheer Glow is great!

I will continue to play with this foundation with different primers. I'm betting I can get it to cover the pores with a different primer.  If not, I am returning it, even though everything else about it is perfect.

I'm going to try using the Smashbox Primer Water in different ways. I'll try using it before my normal primer, and I'll try using it as a setting spray, but I will never again use it alone under foundation.

Why I Wear Makeup

About My Skin

Before I could read, I used to mix my mom's colored Mary Kay face products together with things like soap, water, and shampoo to make (really expensive) "potions."

I'm sorry Mom!

But, that interest in skin care faded away... 

As a teenager I had pretty much perfect skin. It was normal, not dry or oily. My pores were small and tight, and I never had acne.

It sounds like a dream, but it was actually a curse. I never learned how to take care of my skin!  I only washed my face every other day, regardless of whether or not I wore makeup. This poor skin care has really stretched out my pores, and I think has a hand in the sensitivity I experience. 

Note to everyone: never go to bed with makeup on!!!!

Now that I'm older, my skin is extremely dry and mildly sensitive, and I'm finally doing all I can to keep it as youthful as I can.

Some quick facts about my skin:

• Extremely dry nose, cheeks, and chin. Normal on the forehead.

• Large pores on my cheeks

• With a lot of effort I can get a slight tan, but it's a reddish-colored tan, and it's still much lighter than your average Joe.

• Cool undertones.

• Quite fair. I'm usually the second lightest shade of foundation (generally the very lightest shade is either a neutral or a warm undertone, so I get the pink/cool toned one).  In MAC I'm a perfect NW20.

• Redness/pigmentation on my cheeks and on my nose.

• Freckles

• Sensitive eyelids that tend to get dry and flaky for at least a couple of months each year.

• Allergic to red/pink/purple dyes (I think). This mostly shows up after wearing certain colors of eyeshadow, but I've had some pretty bad reactions to lip products as well.

If you have any of the same problems that I do, then welcome to my blog!  I hope we can help each other with the knowledge we've learned on our unique beauty journeys.

Makeup Geekery

I have all this geekery towards makeup built up inside me.  I hesitate to share it on my main blog, because that blog's purpose is to keep friends and family updated on our daily life. This blog will be where I geek out about beauty products, and share the (limited) knowledge and experience I have with them.

If you're interested, keep on reading! If not, don't.  Easy as pie.  No feelings hurt.


My most recent makeup purchase was yesterday. I am SUUUUUPER excited about what I purchased.


I was in the market for a new foundation. And I am on a quest to find my Holy Grail foundation.

Did I run out of my old foundation? No.

Why am I buying a new one? Because it's spring and summer is coming! My skin is darker, and my old foundation I noticed was grabbing on to my dry patches.  (I'll write a separate post about my skin issues.)


My new foundation is NARS Sheer Glow.  It's been out for a while, and there are many, many, many online reviews you can find and read about if if you're interested.

After viewing several reviews on YouTube and reading a few reviews on beauty blogs, the main selling points for me were:

• Medium/Full coverage
• Satin/Matte finish
• Can't see the foundation
• Looks natural

I ordered it online from Sephora yesterday.

Quick tip!  Are you afraid to purchase foundation online for fear of it not matching your skin?  OR, do you hate buying drugstore foundations because you can't try them before you buy them!  Have no fear!  I use the Foundation Matrix at Temptalia.  I have NEVER had a bad match.  You can start from scratch, or you can input your existing foundation and it will tell you what shade you are in other brands.

Check it out on Temptalia's site HERE.

I used the Foundation Matrix and my shade is Mont Blanc.  It's for Fair/Light skin tones with Pink undertones.

I wish I had known about the foundation matrix earlier, because I have purchased foundation online before and I did NOT get the right shade.  That foundation was Laura Geller Take Cover.  I LOVED that foundation, but I can only wear it when I'm at my darkest, and even then, I have to blend it onto my neck quite a bit.

In this recent makeup purchase, I also purchased one other item: SmashBox Primer Water.

The selling points for this were that it hydrates and energizes skin. It contains caffeine.  I think my skin could use a little pizzazz.

I have been using primer for three years now, and I will never go without primer again. The foundation applies so much smoother with it!  Especially with my particular skin issues.  I'm excited to try this new one, because I've mostly stuck with the same one for the past three years. We'll see if this can beat it!

Smashbox Primer Water can be used before, during, and after makeup application.  The Florida heat and humidity have helped me become addicted to setting sprays, so I'm excited to see how this holds up for that purpose as well.

What are your recent makeup purchases?  What are you excited about?