Ipsy: May 2017

It's time for another Ipsy unboxing! I absolutely loved my first bag last month (you can read about it here), and I couldn't wait for my next one. Once again, I couldn't resist the spoilers and totally snooped online. The theme this time around is Summer Friday. I am so excited for summer, and the theme this month is perfect! Is there even a better time then a Friday in summer?

The bag this month is so damn cute! It is a plastic waterproof bag that is covered in an ice cream cone design. Ipsy is killing it this month with the bag. This is definitely going to be used this summer in my beach bag. I love that it is waterproof so that it can be used at the beach or at a pool, and you don't have to worry about your things getting wet or damaged. 

The first item in my bag isn't really a surprise to me. I emailed Ipsy's customer service in April to select one of the items in my box. I knew that I needed to try Briogeo's Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Spray. I emailed Ipsy at support@ipsy.com, and they were able to accommodate me immediately. Great customer service! I absolutely love spray leave-ins and this one has been on my radar for a bit now. Can't wait to try it!

The next item is a little disappointing to me. I can only use waterproof mascara because of how oily my skin is, so unfortunately I won't be able to try the IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara. It is said to be an ultra volumizing mascara that separates and lengthens each lash. I already have someone in mind to pass this along to.

Ipsy must think that I need to improve my highlighter game, haha! This is the second month that I have received one. I'm not complaining though, since it is the Urban Decay Afterglow Powder Highlighter in the shade Sin. This champagne colored highlight is stunning, and I almost wonder if it is the same thing as the shade Sin in the Urban Decay Naked Palette....I'll have to swatch these two to find out. Either way, both are gorgeous, and I can't wait to use this. I've always preferred powder highlights, so this is right up my alley.

I love trying new brands. The next two items in my bag are from brands I am not too familiar with. The first item is the Cailyn Cosmetics Pure Lust Extreme Matte Tint + Velvet in the shade Practicable. It is a cinnamon matte tint that is meant to by hydrating, long-lasting, and opaque. The shade is very pretty, and I think I might actually hold on to this one instead of giving it away. I have a thing for matte lip tints. The last item is the Jelly Pong Pong Supercharged Super Intense Eyeshadow Duo in the shade Electric. The packaging is so cute, and I love the bright blue! Both shades in the duo (rose gold and gold) are highly pigmented and will completely flatter my blue eyes this summer. I might need to go try this once I'm finished writing this review.

This is a really great bag this month. I can see myself using almost all of the products included this summer. I already have a feeling that the Briogeo spray and Jelly Pong Pong eyeshadow duo will be well loved over the next couple of months. I'm already excited for my next bag!

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Ipsy: April 2017

I have made it no secret that I am a huge fan of subscription boxes. I have tried pretty much every popular beauty subscription box under the sun over the past 6 years. I've finally decided to give Ipsy a try after talking with my best friend last month and she shared how much she has loved her Ipsy subscription. I have no clue why it took me this long, but I was excited to finally see what all of the hype is about.

We first need to take a minute to fully appreciate how freaking adorable this month's bag is. It's a giant red-orange ticket. This totally brings me back to raffles and carnivals from when I was in school. This is definitely a fun bag compared to the others I have seen in the past whenever I read reviews online.

Now, onto the items in the bag! I have tried to become a more patient person, but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm nosy and I don't regret it. I totally looked at the spoilers for this month, so I already knew what would be included in my bag. Keep reading to see what's inside!

Okay, I will admit that I was a little over excited to see a product from OFRA Cosmetics in my bag. I've seen so many people review products from this brand, and I have wanted to give it a try. In my bag was the OFRA Cosmetics Blush in the shade Rendezvous. It is a cool toned rose shade that I am excited to use this spring. It will look great on my fair skin.

Who doesn't love a good multi-purpose product. The Elizabeth Mott Show Me Your Glow Shimmer Shadow & Highlighter can be used as either a highlight or a shimmery eyeshadow. I typically save highlighter for days when I am wearing a full face of makeup, but I always love a subtle bit of shimmer on my lids on days when I am going a bit more natural and want my eyes to pop a bit. I've never heard of this brand before, but it seems like it would be perfect based on the swatch that I did.

I was so excited to see that my bag included the Theorie Marula Oil Transforming Hair Serum. I recently tried a spray leave-in that had marula oil in it, and my hair felt amazing afterwards. This serum is meant to moisturize and nourish hair, and it is safe for color treated hair. I dye my hair red every 6 weeks, so I definitely need this.

It has been ages since I received a nail polish from a beauty subscription service! I am so pumped to see that  the Dream by PS Cosmeceutical Infused Nail Lacquer in the shade Southern Sand is included this month. I adore peachy nude polishes, and I have been wearing pale pinks and nudes almost exclusively for the past 4 months. Apparently this brand includes grapefruit seed extract in their formula to make nails healthier and shinier. Sounds good to me!

I've been a fan of TONYMOLY for awhile now. They are a Korean brand that make amazing face masks and other products that have the worlds most adorable packaging. My bag included the TONYMOLY Liptone LipCare Stick in the shade Rose Blossom. This is such a pretty pink. I'm always game for a lip balm.

Okay, I am kind of kicking myself for waiting this long to subscribe. I will totally be able to use all of the products that were included. Sometimes beauty subscription services send some whacked out crazy stuff that I will never use, but all of my products are like things I currently use. Plus, I like that I haven't tried or heard of most of the brands that are included. Oh, and can we talk about that bag everything came in?! It will be such a fun makeup bag or mini bag to keep in my handbag.

Click here if you would like to try Ipsy!

Birchbox: March 2017

It's time for another Birchbox unboxing! I've been looking forward to my box arriving, and I was so pumped to see that it arrived on my doorstep yesterday. Birchbox has really helped me to discover some awesome brands in the past, and recently the skincare items I have been receiving have been exactly what I needed. This month Birchbox collaborated with Reese Witherspoon's company Draper James to design the box, select the items, and she also helped them create a special limited edition box too. I've always liked Reese  Witherspoon, so I'm excited to see what's included. Let's jump right in and see what is inside my box!

I was tempted to choose the curated box this month, but I ended up using the Sample Choice option and selected the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. My skin has been acting all kinds of crazy recently, and I've developed dry patches on my cheeks while the rest of me is a grease ball. Go figure! This moisturizer was apparently used by explorers in Greenland to protect themselves from damage. Pretty cool stuff! I'm excited to see if this can clear up those dry patches.

My box included another skincare item, the Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water. I have never heard of micro waters before, but apparently they are a the same as micellar water. I've used micellar water for about 2 years now, and i love how they remove all of the leftover gunk and makeup that cleansing wipes can leave behind. The Birchbox website says that this is good for sensitive skin and will remove stubborn makeup, so I'll be sure to use this once I finish up my bottle of Bioderma.

There are two makeup items in my box this month. The first is the Cargo Swimmables Resistant Bronzer in the shade medium. I'm very picky about the bronzers I use since I'm extremely pale. This looks a bit too warm for my skin, but I think I might hold onto this for a few months and see if it is more flattering on my when I have a bit of a tan. The makeup item is a mini Coastal Scents Revealed Smoky Palette . The duo is wicked cute, and both shades would make a nice subtle smoky eye.

I was beyond psyched to see that my box included a product from Davines. I've received products from this brand in previous boxes, and love how amazing they smell and how they make my hair soft. The Davines Ol All in One Milk is a leave-in treatment that uses roucou oil to moisturize and strengthen hair. I've been using different leave-in treatments recently after I get out of the shower since I stopped brushing my hair. I have wavy hair, and the woman that colors my hair suggested I stop brushing my hair to encourage it to curl instead of becoming frizzy. I'm excited to try this on my hair tonight! I also received foil packets of the Davines Ol Shampoo and Ol Conditioner. I don't mind receiving foil packets when they are a bonus item. Plus, I really like Davines shampoos and conditioners.

Click here if you would like to subscribe! Until next time! Xo

Birchbox: February 2017

I caved in and resubscribed to Birchbox. I haven't received a box since September, and I started to miss getting that bright pink box in the mail. I've been a subscriber to Birchbox since I was a senior in high school (2011), and it was my first experience with beauty subscription boxes. They got my butt hooked! Of course, I'm still a commitment-phobe when it comes to boxes, so I gifted myself a subscription.

I received the welcome box last month and I really liked all of the items I got, but I was ready to start getting the actual boxes like other subscribers. I knew that the February theme would HAVE to have something to do with Valentine's Day or date night. Well folks, I was right. The theme this month is Lip Love.

I was beyond excited to see that the Dr. Lipp Miracle Balm was one of the items that were included for Sample Choice. It's fun to be able to choose one of the items in the box, and to have a bit of a sneak peek into what I will be receiving. I've used this lip balm in the past, and I can easily say it's one of the best I have ever used. I like to apply it while I am doing my makeup in the morning before work so that my lips receive some intense hydration (which they need since they have been flaky and chapped within an inch of their life recently).

I was surprised to see that my box included another lip product this month, The Beauty Crop PBJ Smoothie Stick in the shade Saucy Marsala, a deep brownish-red wine. I absolutely love lip crayons and how easy they are to apply. I've never heard of this brand before, and I have to say that I love the fun packaging. Teenage Meaghan would have LOVED this. I'm not sure how much I like the color or if it's for me, but it is pretty.

It has been years since I tried a product from Balance Me. I was so excited to see the Balance Me Congested Skin Serum. I struggle with acne from time to time, and I'm always on the lookout for products that can make them go away. This daily serum can also be used as a spot treatment which I like since I'm always game for a multi-use product. Balance Me also claims that this will refine pores. Me and my large pores will be the judge of that...

My box included quite a ton of Living Proof products this month. I typically would be annoyed to receive so many products from one brand, but I happen to like Living Proof so I'm okay with it. I've tried the Restore Shampoo and Conditioner before, but I haven't tried the Restore Perfecting Spray. It's a lightweight detangler that is meant to add moisture and protect hair against heat. I'm sold! I'll have to use this once I finish up my bottle of No4 detangler. The shampoo and conditioner foil packets I received were a bonus, so I'm not mad at that. Typically, I would lose my mind over a foil packet, but I don't mind them as a bonus item.

I know that some people hate getting perfume samples in their boxes, but I love it. I'm always on the hunt for a new perfume, so being able to test new ones is these boxes appeals to me. I've used Clean perfumes before, and I love how natural and light they smell. I have never heard of the Reserve Amber Saffron. I don't normally say things like this, but this scent is so damn sexy! It has floral notes, musk, and a bit of raspberry that somehow come together to make a fragrance that is perfect for day time. It's the perfect effortlessly chic perfume. It won't be for everyone, but I definitely like it.

This was a pretty good box this month. There was a nice variety of skincare, beauty, hair, and fragrance. I haven't tried most of the products in my box, so Birchbox definitely came through. I find that when I initially receive product from Birchbox I'm unsure of whether or not I actually like them, but over time I usually come to find that I use all of it and love it. Click here to subscribe! Until next time! Xo