Ipsy March 2018 Review

For those who don't know, Ipsy is a monthly subscription service. For $10, you get 4-5 sample sized (sometimes full sized) makeup, hair, and skin care products, as well as a reusable makeup bag. Check them out here: IPSY

(I purchase this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

March's theme has something to do with creating. Whatever. I don't particularly like the bag but I do enjoy being able to color it in. That's kinda cool. But let's get to the products!

Labotica Transforming Liquid Foil Mask: While this stuff looks super cool (like you're mutating into the Silver Surfer), the description of "gentle" and "great for sensitive skin" can SUCK MY BALLS. This stuff bonded to my face like the Man in the Iron Mask. It was not gentle to remove, my skin was irritated as fuck, and I broke out in a couple places across my chin. It's made by Leaders Cosmetics, a Korean brand, and it's on the "Pending List" over at Logical Harmony (which means they've reached out to the company about their cruelty free status but haven't heard back yet). Full size is $32 so this sample should be valued around $6.50. (CF - UNKNOWN)

VenEffect Pore Minimizing Cleanser: This company's products fight hormonal aging (that lack of estrogen we produce as we get older contributes to signs of aging). I enjoyed this face wash. Smelled like a spa but not overpowering. Gentle and my face felt really nice afterward. It'll be a nice travel product. Full size (150 mls) is $60 (yikes) so this 15mls sample should go for $6.00. (CF? - can't find any info)

Hikari Cream Pigment Eye Shadow in Shine: I wish I could have gotten the green color instead of gold but wutyougonnado? Very pigmented, soft eye shadow and it looks great on the eye. Not sure I want to keep it because I have a couple gold shadows already and it's not a color I use a lot. I can't find the exact amount but most shadows are around 2g so I'll assume this is full sized and worth $13. (CF)

Tarte Cosmetics Sex Kitten Eyeliner: I think I've only ever tried one Tarte eyeliner before and it wasn't great (which might explain why it was on clearance when I bought it). But this stuff is pretty bomb. Though it doesn't break through the Hikari eye shadow (not sure if you can see but it goes green on the eye over the shadow), I put it on my waterline & tightline after I took the picture and that shit didn't budge. Well, some of it did, which is to be expected, but most of it stayed in place. In fact, it took about 2 days for it to completely wash off my eye. This might be my go-to eyeliner for convention makeup I need to last at least 10 hours. Full size is $20 so this sample is worth $10. (CF)

Steve Laurant Beauty Lip Oil in Orchid: It looks pink but this is a clear oil. It feels thicker, like a gloss/oil hybrid. Sort of like what Milani did a few years back. This stuff feels nice, it's not sticky, and it smells like vanilla butter cake. NOM. This is full size and goes for $18. (CF)

Wow, looks like this bag is worth about $53.50. Pretty good deal though I'm disappointed that two of the products are not cruelty free/unknown CF status. I can usually forgive one but...to be honest, I'm thinking of phasing out of this subscription and trying something else. We'll see.

Ipsy April 2017 Review

Well, March came in like a lion this year, eh, midwesterners? Let's hope April has showers to bring May flowers and not too much more of Mother Nature's menopause specials. I don't know about the rest of you but our fence has almost been pulled out at least twice by all these wind storms!

Anyway, this post is about Ipsy. For those who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly subscription service where, for $10, you receive 4-5 sample (sometimes full) sized makeup, hair, and skin care products. Check them out for yourselves here: IPSY

I purchased this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones.

Have no idea what the theme is this month because I didn't bother to look at the card as it has NO useful info on it at all. Lemme go to the website. Hang on..."Sideshow". What the fuck is that supposed to mean? OMG so useless.

The bag itself is hilarious! I love the ticket shape, like what you'd get at a carnival or whatever. But the material is vinyl or something that feels like very tough stiff (*rowr*) rubber. Probably pretty durable, though. Meh. Let's get to the products.

Hikari Cosmetics Cream Pigment Eye Shadow: I believe the color is Honeydew. Looks like a frosty pink with a hint of peach behind it. It's beautiful. The texture is like a Colourpop shadow - feels like a cream but goes on like a powder. Using a brush is pretty much useless, though, unlike CP. Hardly any pigment pay off. But with a finger it's very nice. Could be used as a highlighter, too, because there's no glitter. Can't find an amount on the website for full size but I'm guessing this is a sample (because full size comes in a pot) but a decent sized sample. Let's call it half price and valued at $6.50. (CF)

Colourpop Creme Gel Pencil: You know how much I love CP. So I was excited for this product. The shade is Best O (oh my...) and is a deep burgundy. It looks kind of brown in the swatch below but on the eye it's much more reddish purple. Smooth and creamy, these are great eyeliners. HOWEVER - they are soft so break easily; I also had trouble getting the color to show up on top of the eye shadow. Had to work at it. Full size and is $5.00 (CF)

Touch in Sol No Poreblem! Primer: Interesting primer. It looks like a lotion. Feels like silicone. But once it absorbs, which it does FULLY, your skin just feels smooth and soft. It actually does look like it diminishes the appearance of pores. So cool. I only used it once but with just a translucent powder so I can't speak to it's ability to help makeup last longer. I'll let you know. Full size is $18 so this sample (the tube felt almost empty which is a bit of a rip off) is about $3. (CF)

Tried to do a quick look with the shadow and liner so forgive the messy brow powder and mascara.

Hanalei Aloe Soothing Gel: I do like aloe gel. Granted, this has aloe powder as it's EIGHTH ingredient but I'll still give it a shot. It does smell fresh and more like cucumbers than aloe but what the hell. Full size at 100g is $30 so this 10g sample is about $3.00 (CF)

Luxie Beauty Dreamcatcher Precision Foundation Brush 660: I am never mad at brushes. And I've received Luxie Beauty ones in the past and they are awesome. I don't use brushes for foundation but I'm sure I'll have no trouble finding another use for this one. Full size and is $23.00 (Vegan and CF)

I'm gonna round the numbers around and say this month was around a $40 value. I've had better. Think I've had worse. But I like everything in this bag AND they're all cruelty free so I'm all right with it!

Ipsy March 2017 Review

Well, it looks like there's a slight change in the Ipsy set up this month. Instead of a big card filled with useless platitudes and bullshit, it's now a tiny card with useless platitudes and bullshit. I'm wondering if the smaller card and larger bag are related in any way...

For those who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly subscription service. For $10 you receive 4-5 sample (sometimes full) sized products in a reusable makeup bag. Check them out for yourselves here: IPSY

(I pay for this with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

Not sure if the "Pretty is as pretty does" is the theme but who fucking cares anyway? The bag is larger than what's been sent in the past. Maybe a couple extra inches...and who doesn't like a couple extra inches, amirite? The bag feels like microfiber, is a pretty peach/pink color, and the design on the front is kinda cool. Have to say I'm digging this bag. It'll be great for travel. The products are:

Air Repair Skincare Complexion Boosting Moisturizer: I do like to try different moisturizers. Never heard of this but it touts being great to help repair damage and sooth dry skin. $21 for full size so this 10ml sample is about $3.50 (CF)

Cake Beauty Desserted Island Surpeme Body Mousse: Sometimes body and hand creams can be hit or miss. This feels very light but moisturizing. I'll let you know how it does but it smells heavenly (coconut and vanilla). Full size is $22 so this sample is $2.75. (CF)

Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint: I can't tell if I got Rose or Delish. Both colors on line look the same but NOT what it looks like on me. It's a very warm terra cotta shade on my lips so I don't like it. The formula, however, does exactly what it says. It dries in seconds! It also doesn't feel drying, almost like there's nothing on your lips at all. It's totally transfer proof, until you eat something oily at least. Not sure about just water. But I'll see if anyone else wants this because I won't wear it. Full size is $20 so this 6ml sample is just over $3. (CF)

Doucce Freematic Eyeshadow in Marisa: The swatch doesn't really do this shade justice. It's got a bronze/pink shift to it (sort of like Urban Decay Fireball or Colourpop's Come and Get It). In the pan it looks rosy but not so much on the eyes. You can use this wet or dry depending on the look you want. I can't tell from their site but this looks like a full sized pan and it's worth $10. (CF)

Elizabeth Mott Blending Brush: LOOOOVE when they put in makeup brushes. And this one is so dang soft! I can't wait to use it. Full size and is worth $15. (CF)

All righty. This month's bag is worth just about $34. Not terrible, considering I'm kind of excited about all the products AND the bag is bigger than before. And everything is cruelty free. Whoop!

Ipsy May 2016 Review

For those who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $10, you will receive 4-5 sample (sometimes full) sized items to try. It's a great way to try new things without committing to the full price tag. Check them out here: IPSY

As usual, I pay for this service myself and all opinions are my honest ones. CF or NCF denote Cruelty Free or Not Cruelty Free. A ? means I got no fucking idea.

I don't remember what the theme is because the card that comes with this bag went right in the trash. Honestly, there's no useful info on it so it's only a waste of paper. I really wish Ipsy would join the rest of the subscription community and put the items/info/prices on the fucking card.

I really like the bag this month. It looks like an envelope, with a fold over snap front. Like a clutch purse. Cute print, too, with silhouettes of worldly landmarks - oh, yeah, the theme was travel or something like that. Whatever.

Soo-Ae Face Masks (?): I loooove face masks. I'm glad they included 3 in here because you only get one use per mask. I've already tried the Firming/Elasticity one. I don't know if it firmed anything but DAYUM my skin looked nice afterwards! The mask itself is super soft and the eye/nose/mouth holes are perfect. A little big so as to accommodate any face/feature shape. I think this has become my new favorite mask brand. You can get these at Target (which is awesome) for $15 for a 5-pack so $3 a piece is pretty good!

Pacifica Eyeshadow Trio (CF): I remember getting a Pacifica eye shadow a long time ago in an Ipsy bag but I broke it when I depotted it. It was waaay too soft. I imagine these would be the same. Gorgeous colors and they lasted on my eyes all day, without primer! But, as you'll see in the pic below, these are extremely similar to the City Color trio I got a few months ago - though that one is a lot warmer than the Pacifica shadows.. Why can't they switch things up and put in less neutral stuff? Oh well. I liked both trios and will use them! This particular color trio was designed specifically for Ipsy but their regular trio shadows (.1 ounce) go for $12. This .07 ounce is probably $9-$10.

Smashbox X-Rated Mascara (NCF): The last Smashbox sample I got was AWESOME. So I look forward to trying this one out. It claims to be the most buildable mascara - meaning you can layer it up and it won't look like shit. Full sized goes for $22 so this .10 fluid ounce sample is about $5.

INSPR Eye Fluff Brush (?): I don't think I've ever heard of this brand before. I've already tried it out and it's awesome. Very soft but dense enough to work as a blending brush or to apply eye shadow (particularly in the crease - of the EYE, you pervs). This is full sized and costs $12.

Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream (CF): Good sized sample of a night cream. It smells kind of odd (not like Jasmine like everyone else claims) but it's nice and thick. The more you smooth it on your skin the more it feels like silk. Very interesting. It stings a bit, though, which I don't care for. Full size (50 ml) costs $115. Wow. Just...wow. This 15 ml sample should go for around $38.

The whole bag has a value around $67. I dig it!

Ipsy March 2016 Review

For those who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly subscription service for beauty, skin, and hair care products. For  $10 each month, you will receive 4-5 samples (sometimes full size) to try. It's a nice way to test drive a new brand without committing to the full price.

(as always, I purchase this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

This month's theme is Hello Spring, however useless that may be. The bag is okay. The print is nice enough but the material is really weird. Almost feels like those LeSac bags that were popular in the 80s. Yes, that just dated me. Shut up.

Living Proof Dry Shampoo - I like a good dry shampoo. Don't know if this is one but I've another hair product from this brand that I like quite a bit. So fingers crossed! This 1.8 ounce can goes for $12.

Nourish Organics Body Oil Mist - Not exactly sure how this can be a mist via squeezie tube but I'll give it a shot (full size is actually a spray bottle - okay, that makes sense). I've only tested it on dry skin. Not that great. I bet this works better on damp skin, like right after a shower. I'll let you know! Full size (3 ounces) is $20 so this .5 ounce tube is about $3 (UPDATE: Yes, it works much better on damp skin and it's pretty awesome)

Me Me Me Loose Powder Brush - I am NEVER mad at getting a brush in these subscriptions. And though I've never heard of this brand, the brush is super soft. It's the perfect size for putting loose powder on my face. I've already used it a half a dozen times. Love. It goes for 14 pounds which is $20 US.

Temptu Brozer - I think this is supposed to be for those airbrush machine thingies. I got a highlighter from this brand early on in my subscription service. And while I don't have one of those airbrush machine thingies, I can still use this. It's a liquid so a little goes a long way. It looks kind of orange in the swatch but it blends out even further so it looks very natural on my skin tone. Full size, 8 ml, goes for $35. So this .25 ounce bottle (which, if I did my math correctly, should be just over 7 mls) is pretty comparable in the price point. Holy crap.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick - for those of you who've been reading my posts for a bit already know how I feel about these. Ugh. Disappointed that I got one in my bag this month. I thought maybe because this color is lighter than the one I originally purchased it might be better. Not really. It definitely doesn't look as shitty as the darker color and it sure as hell isn't as drying. But it's patchy and wears off weird. I may not have put an even layer on, though, so I'll play with it a few more times. I got the color Pink Lust and while it's something I don't normally wear, because neon, it is strangely appealing. This is a full size, though, and it goes for $7.

Damn. The value of this bag is about $75 (give or take a few for conversion oopsies). That's pretty good. Whoop!

September 2015 Ipsy Bag Review

Okay. Finally getting to my September Ipsy bag review. For those of you who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that sends you samples (and full size from time to time) for $10 a month. Check them out for yourself at www.ipsy.com

I think I feel a cold coming on so I'd better get all my reviews in over the next couple of days or it'll be ANOTHER few weeks before I return! As always, these are my honest opinions.

Looking at the card, it seems the theme is Face Fashion (could have something Fall related on the back but honestly, I don't give a fuck). I didn't take any sneak peaks this month so I had no idea what was coming, not even the bag which I think it nice this time around. At first glance it looks pretty sweet, right? That's MOSTLY true. Let's get into it.

Trust Fund Nail Polish: never heard of this brand but from first look, and a quick swatchy-swatch on my pinkie nail, it's really pretty. It's a nice medium periwinkle color with a bit more purple to it. It does take 2 coats to get complete coverage but I like it! I believe it's full sized, too. It's called Elegantly Wasted (awesome) and goes for $15!  http://trustfundbeauty.com/collections/all-polish

Not Radio Soap Liquid Freud Lotion: Nice little sample size of this lotion but the smell is rather odd. The coconut comes off immediately but then it turns into this weird amalgamation of mango and vanilla and strangeness. It feels nice on the skin, though. Full size (12.6 ounces) goes for $18 and this is just over 1 ounce so count it as $1?        http://notsoapradio.com/Liquid-Freud-HandBody-Lotion_p_91.html

City Color Mascara Be Bold Mascara: I have some HD loose powder from City Color and I love it. So I'm excited to try this mascara. Lord knows I have a handful of unopened ones so it'll be a minute before I get to this. I think it's full sized, too, so it runs around $6.  http://citycolorcosmetics.com/eyes/mascara/be-bold-mascara/#.VgGAa99VhBd

NYX Eyeshadow Trio: I think this was specifically made for the Ipsy bag because I can't find the color combo anywhere. And there's no color name, just IPSYNYX01. So there you go. As you can see from the first pic, the shadows are not very pigmented. They're also a bit chalky. However, you can build up the color a bit if you want to work with them. They might pop better if you use them wet or over a bright base (like NYX jumbo pencil in Milk). I must say, though, the color stayed on for a long long time. They didn't melt together after a few hours (I'm looking at you, Too Faced) which seriously impressed me. For $6, it's not so bad.

JCat Beatuy #MOTD Slide On Eyeliner in Bronze: I've used JCat products before and they can be hit or miss. Though this pencil says the color is Bronze, it's more of a dark brown with a copper shift. It actually paired nicely with the NYX eye shadow above. It is waterproof so heaven help you getting it off. Which means it does have a lot of staying power, even in the waterline! I have very oily lids and my eyes water a bit so anything that goes on the tightline or waterline is GONE within 30 minutes. There was actually product still on both after wearing it for a good 6 hours. That is impressive. It's got the same staying power (for me) as Urban Decay's 24/7 liners. And for $4 (compared to UD's $20) this is a steal.  http://jcatbeauty.com/eyes-2/motd-slide-on-pencil-for-eyes

That's it for September. This month was all right. Rather average compared to all that I've received so far. But for an approximate value of $32, I'm not mad at it.

June 2015 Ipsy Bag

All right! Finally getting around to reviewing the June Ipsy bag. At this point I think I might end up combining my May and June PDs and GFYs (Panty Droppers and Go Fuck Yourselves for the newly arrived - it's my version of monthly favorites) and post that next week. Along with other shit. Damn, I hate when I fall behind...

Anyway, for those of you who might not know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $10 a month, you get 4-5 samples (sometimes a full size, too) of makeup, skin and hair care products. It's a nice way to try new things without having to blow a lot of money on a product that you could end up hating. I purchase this with my own money. All thoughts and opinions are mine. They have not been bought and paid for.

I guess the "Swim into Beauty" theme is all about summer and shit. Not sure how the products reflect that but whatever. The bag is kind of cool. Black with a hazmat orange zipper (it's like Halloween!). The back part feels like a thin layer of foam padding. Fun to squeeze (oooh, dirty).

The three Bio Republic sheet masks run about $15 for the set. They are: Green Tea Detox (which I already used); Aloe Rescue; Cucumber Breeze. I don't know how much detox went one with the one mask but I did like the way my skin felt afterwards. And I love sheet masks. They're fun to use and less messy than the traditional mud or paste-like masks.

The Smashbox face primer is an itty bitty sample but it's still probably worth about $9 (the full 1 oz. size goes for $36). I've only used it once and if you are the type of person who doesn't like the silicone style primer, then you'll hate this. I can't really tell how well it worked from one application but I'll keep trying it. I have oily skin so the silicone ones aren't the best for me, even though I've been wanting to try this brand for a while - and now I don't have to fork over $36!

The Lavanila Labs body butter sample is probably around $3. It does smell like vanilla but WHEW! It's heavy heavy heavy on that scent with some kind of underlying sweetness to it. It's extremely heavy smelling but it does make my hands super soft without feeling sticky. The product absorbs quickly.

The Tre'Stique mini shadow stick crayon goes for $26 (I think the people at this company are smoking crack or something). While it's a gorgeous rich dark brown color (Kona Coffee), I haven't tried it yet. I'm pretty sure it won't be worth $26 but it may prove me wrong. I'll let you know.

The SheaMoisture Shea Butter Lip Crayon is $10. I knew this company made hair products but I didn't know they made makeup. The color I received is called Sarah (?) and is a gorgeous hot fuchsia pink with a little bit of a purple duo-chrome which I don't think shows up in the pictures. It's very moisturizing (duh) and lasts longer than I thought it would. I really like this product.

So if my math is correct, I got over $60 worth of stuff for $10. Um, yeah. That rules. Though the body butter is too strong smelling for me, and the primer will probably end up being wrong for my skin type, that's a pretty fucking good value, wouldn't you say? If you're interested in checking out Ipsy for yourself, head on over to their website and sign up!

May Ipsy Bag

For the first time since signing up for Ipsy back in October, I was NOT home when it arrived this month. I was working a comic convention over the weekend and I like to get a hotel room nearby so I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to drive out there before the masses swamp the highways and parking areas! So not only is this a bit later than I planned, I was also chomping at the bit to get home and tear into it! And see my husband and dogs, too, of course.

*shifty eyes*

The May Ipsy bag theme is "Jet Setter". I'm still not all that sure how the products fit in to any theme since I don't necessarily subscribe to the whole idea of only certain colors/products/etc. can be used at certain times. Do what the fuck you want, people. 

But I digress...I am excited about four of the five products I got. So let's get started!

The awesome pen and notebook behind the bag is NOT included. That's just my crap. 

The bag itself is canvas, instead of the usual plastic or vinyl. It's kinda cool but I didn't oooh and aaahh over it. The contents are pretty sweet, though. The facial cleanser and hair cream should be fun. I've tried the cleanser once and it smells like fresh oranges. Not fake ones or really sweet. It's nice and light and fresh. This is 1 oz of product (full size is 4 oz at $24) so this sample is worth $6.

 I'm excited for the hair cream but I never seem to have that much luck with products that are supposed to tame frizz or repair or whatever. I'll let you know. It's just under an ounce of product (full size is 2.5 oz at $25) so I'd give this about a $9 value.

I've heard of the brand BellaPierre but never tried anything from them. I think. The liner is soft but not so soft that it looks like a Goodyear tire just melted on your face. It also looks like it has a bit of a green undertone (you know how sometimes black is so black it looks blue? Same dealio but with green). Unfortunately, either I'm a ham-fisted strong man or this pencil is just too fragile to be out in the big wide world on its own because the tip broke off when I swatched it. I'll still use it, once I sharpen it, because I really want to give it a try. I just have to be more careful. It is full size and goes for $15.

I've also heard of the Pixi brand and I see it all the time at Target but I've never tried anything from them. So I was excited to get this bronzer. However, it looks soooper gold and shimmery on my hand so I can't imagine how I would use this as a bronzer. I only started getting into them because I'm so pale in the winter months and it does keep away that underbelly-of-a-dead-fish tone. Maybe with a light hand it'll look dewy and give me a nice healthy glow and not one of a stripper coming off her late night shift. I can't find the exact product on the Pixi site (one that's similar comes with a brush at $18) but I'm pretty sure this is full size so I'll give it a $10 value.

The lip gloss samples from Urban Decay were bonuses this month and I was really excited about that. They came in these little plastic packets that can't be resealed (suck it) but I jerry-rigged a way to keep them closed so they won't dry out too fast. The colors are Bittersweet (top swatch) and Failbait and are really pretty! They're just little dollops of product so I won't even try to figure out their value. I already own a clear lip liner so now I have a back up, which is good because it's very soft and I burn through the product quickly. It's not quite full size (which costs $20) so I'd give this a value of around $13.

That's it for May. Overall, I really like the products in this bag. My guesstimations put the value at over $50 so for $10 subscription price, it's a win-win all around! I think I have some reviews coming up of products I've used from last month's bag. It's nice to see what comes in each month but it's also a good idea to let you guys know if this stuff is even worth using.

Until next month...

April Ipsy Bag

The April Ipsy bag arrived last week! For those who may not know, Ipsy (formerly Glam Bag) is a monthly beauty subscription service. For $10.00 each month, you receive 4-5 (usually 5) samples (sometimes you'll get one full sized) of beauty, skin care, or hair products. Each month has a different theme but to be honest, I'm not really sure how that affects which products are chosen. April's theme is Beautifully Bohemian (aka hippy).

To get one for yourself, or to find out more info, head over to the Ipsy website: www.ipsy.com

(FYI: I purchase this subscription with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones. I'll always let you know when something is provided, sponsored, forced upon me at gunpoint, etc.)

General thoughts: the bag is much cuter than I thought. It looked kinda weird on the Ipsy website but in person, it's rather adorable. The five products I received are: make-up brush; nail polish; lipstick; eye shadow; and lip balm. Below are pics and reviews!

The bag seems like it's made from the same material as those big floppy beach hats from the 70s. But with colored ribbon weaved throughout. The makeup brush is Crown brand (which I've heard of but never felt or tried).  It feels super soft. I just used it for the first time before going out to dinner. I'm not sure how I feel yet. The bristles are very soft but it's a concealer brush so when I put on my under eye concealer, it looked kinda patchy. I didn't have that problem with my other brush so I'll try it a few more times, just in case my skin was a little dry tonight.

I used the Honey and Oatmeal lip balm from Olive once. It's rather hard and dry, which makes me think there must be a lot of beeswax in it. But once it warmed up, it went on nicely and lasted a while. I'm guessing this is a sample size but it'll probably last a long enough time to really get a feel for it.

The nail polish is awesome! Never heard of the brand JulieG before but I got a coupon for it and it's sold at Rite Aid at least. It's very thick and opaque. I put some on over the yellow polish I was already wearing and it covered it in one coat! Granted, the yellow was pretty thin and patchy but still. I cleaned off the old and put this new stuff on the next day and it looks great!

The lipstick is also I brand I'd never heard of. Gallany Cosmetics. I got a little baby lipstick in the color "Petal". Remember those old Avon sample lipsticks? This was a little bigger but not by much. The color is a beautiful rosy nude with a little berry going on underneath. It swatched a bit more pink on my hand than it did on my lips. Very creamy, smooth application, but it only lasted about 2 hours max. If you're looking for long lasting color, this isn't the lipstick you're looking for...move along...but the logo looked a little like a Klingon symbol. Sweet.

Thank the gods I got the purple shade for the eyeshadow sample. If I got one more copper or bronze color, I was gonna beat someone to death with my Ipsy bag. The Balm Cosmetics is a brand I've heard of but never tried. I'm really excited for this shadow. It's Flirty from their Nude Dudes palette: a red purple with a gold duo chrome (I think that's what it's called). It's hard to tell in the swatch but you can sort of see purple on one side and the reflective gold on the other. Not super pigmented but I think you can build it up a bit. Also I feel that eyelid primer will help a lot. Could even put a white cream base under it to make it pop a bit more.

Overall I'm pretty dang happy about this bag. Which makes me nervous because last month was pretty good, too. I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see!