What's In My Bag

Ooooo, I'm gonna give you a little sneak peak into my bag!  I love reading/watching What's In My Bag posts because 1. I'm nosy and 2. I always find the best tips out of posts like that.  I love the idea of having the perfect little emergency kit in my bag at all times and I get the best ideas from other bloggers.

I use a small black zip bag to store all my beauty bits.  This one happens to be from Ipsy and it's the perfect size.  You can really find these anywhere and they're great to keep everything corralled in the same place.  

Ok here's what I have on hand:

August Ipsy Glam Bag

Let's talk Ipppssyyyy!!  This is my favorite month yet!  Amazing stuff in here guys.  For the bag itself, it's cute and a good size but the print seems a little cheap.  Whatevs, because I'll still put it to good use.   

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub: I was really excited to see this because I've been hearing a  lot about Michael Todd products for awhile and I've contemplated trying some.  I think it's only available online (?) so that's probably what's stopped me from getting anything so far.  However, I tried this scrub the first night I got my Ipsy bag and it was fantastic.  Don't be alarmed because it looks like black tar, it's actually really great.  My skin felt baby soft afterwards and it didn't give me any irritation.  Normal price is $18 which is more than I'd usually spend on a scrub but I might consider it.   

                             

Noya Cherry Lip Balm: A girl can never have too much lip balm so I wasmpleased to see this.  I've tried it a few times and it applies easy, it's smooth and creamy, not too greasy and smells yummy.  I've never spotted this brand in stores so I don't know if I would specifically seek it out or order it online when so many other options are available but it seems like a great product if you happen to spot one in a store.  

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara: It's no secret that I have a thing for mascara.  I'm always on the lookup for my new favorite.  This ain't it though.  From what I can find, this retails for $17 and it's really nothing special at all.  Considering most drugstore mascaras are $9 or under, there's just no way I'd ever see myself purchasing this.  It was decent and I didn't particularly dislike it but for $17 I need to be wowed.  Wowed I was not.      

Pacifica Alight Multi Mineral BB Cream: If I'm being honest, I gave up on BB Creams mostly.  I just really couldn't figure out how they fit into my routine.  I tend to go one of two ways: either I want a full-face look so I use foundation or in every day life I'll just use concealer where necessary.  So BB Cream never really felt like a necessity.  I don't really think this BB Cream will change my mind at all.  It's not bad by any means, but it's got a very definite sheen to it that I think would look sort of funny if you wore it all over your face.  You'd probably look like you were in the Cullen family.  However, it's actually quite pretty and I think it would make a beautiful highlighter or even a liquid-y eye shadow.  

Chella Dazzling Brow Pencil:  I'm probably the least qualified person to review a brow pencil because I've never actually used one.  I have a pretty strong brow au naturale so I only fill it in with shadow (sometimes) and my trusty Maybelline Clear Mascara.  My focus is usually around taming my brows, not "styling" them.  However, from what I've tried, this seems great and I've enjoyed the other Chella product I've used in the past.  

Urban Decay Moon Dust in Diamond Dog:  Holy crap I practically kissed the package when I saw it.  So so pretty!  This stuff is so heavily pigmented with the finest glitter in the best way possible.  It's not the "I shop for makeup at Hot Topic" kind of glitter.  It's like microscopic dense glitter with a wash of brown.  I'm already obsessed.  I know glitter isn't for everyone but it's VERY much for me.  Plus, on the real, this stuff retails for $20!  Ipsy is seriously the best.  

If you're interested in giving Ipsy a try, click HERE. (<< that's my refer a friend link! If you sign up, they might give me extra goodies in my bag to write about!)

What did you guys think of August's Ipsy Glam Bag?  

July Ipsy Glam Bag

It's that time again!  This month's Ipsy bag!!  And it's official- Birchbox is cancelled.  It's dead to me.  I'm just a makeup junkie and Birchbox had more skincare and haircare products that I wasn't totally interested in and they were pretty much outta my budget anyway.  Ipsy emerges victor!  

I forgot to snap a pic of the bag itself but you can see it in the pic above.  It's hot pink, cylindrical, and plastic-y.  Gotta admit, not my favorite but I do like that this would be a good waterproof bag.  So maybe great for the beach or the pool.  

Anyway- on to products!  First up is this Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray.  I was super excited to see this.  I've heard this haircare line mentioned a few times in blogs I follow and I've tried the Big Sexy Hair shampoo before.  This particular product is a beach spray, so it provides a bit of texture to hair, but also conditions with Aragon Oil.  Seems like it'll be perfect for summer!  Especially on days when my hair is squeaky clean and could use a bit of texture.  

Nailtini Nail Polish in Mai Tai.  This is an orangey-coraly shade and I wasn't SUPER wowed when I first saw it.  However, I'm always curious to try new nail polish brands and it's still a fun summer color.  You can never have too much nail polish (life motto) so I'm happy to add it to my collection.    

Coola Organic Mineral Sunscreen.  This one is a no-brainer.  I don't wear sunscreen nearly enough so I was glad to get a sample size to toss in my purse.  This is unscented, which I like, and super light.  It's meant for the face so I really like that I don't feel like I'm shellac-ing my face with layers of product.  It's a winner!

Pop Pouty Crayon in Coral Crush.  Lip products have been my weakness lately.  I can't get my hands on enough lipsticks and lip glosses.  They're such an easy way to spruce up a look!  So this lip crayon is right up my alley.  When I applied it, I found the shade to be slightly more pink than coral but I'm just splitting hairs.  This is smooth and feels hydrating and while it has a light pigmentation, it would still be easy to apply on the go without a mirror.  If you're looking for huge color payoff though, this likely isn't your product.  

BH Cosmetics California Collection.  I actually own quite a few BH Cosmetics products because they're so dang cheap and the quality is pretty good.  Of course, their eye shadows don't provide the long-lasting wear of some higher end brands but with a good primer, they're definitely a great alternative if you can't justify spending upwards of $30 on an eyeshadow palette (and I often can't).  I actually swiped on the Malibu shadow this morning and it's a gorgeous bright gold.  The shades are well pigmented and have little fallout.  I've actually found that applying lower-quality eyeshadows with my finger instead of a brush is somehow easier.  The color transfers well and it's quick.  Definitely a fun mini-palette for on-the-go.  

If you're interested in giving Ipsy a try, visit this link (<< that's my refer a friend link!).  

What did you think of this month's bag?    

June Ipsy Glam Bag

Month two of my Ipsy subscription!  And again I'm incredibly pleased.  These are FULL SIZE products, not some dinky little samples.  Legit peeps.  

Here's this month's aborbz bag.  Leopard and neon.  I want a dress like this or something.  Seems a wee bit smaller than last month's bag but, really, who cares.  

First up, NYX Cream Blush in Orange:  I totally love NYX products and I already own a ton of them but I had no clue they even made cream blushes.  And if I had known, I probably wouldn't have picked Orange for myself.  I was sure it was gonna make me look like a doofus but oh my goodness I love it so much.  It's crazy pigmented but it blends really easily.  And on the cheeks it's more coral-y then orange-y.  Be not afraid.  

Chella Highlighter Pencil:  It's a nude peachy color.  I've recently been using a Rimmel nude eyeliner for my lower waterline (instead of a typical white liner) and love it.  This gives a similar effect but it's smooth and creamy and easy to apply.  I like to use it as a highlighter right on my brow bone or even blend it onto my lid if I want my black eyeliner to pop more.  

Starlooks Lip Pencil in Bare:  I'm still prreettyyy new to lip pencils.  I mostly only use them if I'm applying a really bold color and I want to prevent it from feathering around my mouth.  However, this pencil is a lovely mauvey shade and applies really smoothly.  I'm excited to try this out more.  

J.Cat Sparkling Cream Palette: Take the word "sparkling" very literal.  There is straight-up glitter in this eyeshadow.  When I first saw it, I audibly gasped because I like shiny things.  Then I realized it's not really daytime wearable since I'm no longer 13.  BUT I think it could really be a fun night-time shadow.  If I ever actually went out at night instead of eating Starbursts in my pajamas while watching Vampire Diaries.  

Cailyn Gel Eyeliner in Iron: This stuff is for real.  It's a dark grey color and it would take a lifetime to use everything in that little pot.  It also comes with a built-in brush which are usually pretty low quality but this one is great.  I tested it on my hand when I first got it and this stuff did not smudge ALL DAY. I even showered the next morning and it barely faded off my hand.  Awesome quality.  

Ipsy is really kicking butt lately.  If you're interested in giving it a try, click HERE.  (<< that's my refer a friend link!  If you sign up, they might give me extra goodies in my bag to write about!)

May Ipsy Bag

On the advise of my friend Maggie, I decided to give another subscription box a try.  I've been receiving Birchboxes for a few months and I've found that they're hit or miss.  Occasionally I find something great but every box has a few duds.  

So this is my first Ipsy Glam Bag and WOW.  I'm blown away by the quality of the products and the shear size of the "samples."  I'm totally in love.  Plus, they come in a reusable makeup bag.  Ipsy for the win!  

 So this is the bag I got and it's the perfect size to hold all my makeup odds and ends and then throw in my purse.  I have a few lip glosses, some oil blotting sheets, a mini mirror and the roll-on perfume in there.  Adorbs.

 People, I got a FULL SIZE Zoya nail polish.  This would usually retail for about $8 on its own (and the subscription is only $10 a month).  It's a beautiful light pink color with a slight shimmer and it's perfect for summer.

This is the roll-on perfume called Pacifica in the scent Tahitian Gardenia.  It certainly has a floral scent with maybe a touch of citrus?  It seems light and summery so it's perfect to keep in my purse and apply later in the day as a freshen-up.

 This is a nearly full-size lipstick by Mirabella called Bellarina and it's a gorgeous light pink with golden undertones.  It's somewhat shear but adds a bit of shine and would be a great color to keep in my purse (can you tell I keep everything in my purse?) and apply throughout the day.  

I've only just started "styling" my brows and I've yet to use up my trusty Maybelline Clear Mascara but this Anastasia Clear Brow Gel is a great size for traveling since these days I can't stand to leave the house without taming these beasts above my eyes.   

When I first got this little thing I didn't actually know what it was.  Turns out, it's concealer!  The consistency is silky smooth and the coverage seems decent.  I'm actually still madly in love with my NYX HD Concealer in Light  but, again, this Yaby concealer is the perfect size to keep in a travel bag for brief getaways.  

All in all, I'm super super pleased with my Ipsy Glam Bag.  So much so, that I'll likely cancel my Birchbox and just stick with Ipsy.  I'm definitely a sucker for these subscription bags but with Ipsy, I think I really got my $10 worth. 

If you're interested in subscribing, check it out here  (<<that's my refer a friend link so you'll be giving me points towards purchases!)