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April 12, 2013

Ipsy bag April 2013 – product overview & review

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Posted in Hair, Makeup / Cosmetics, Nail Polish, Subscription boxes

April’s Ipsy bag is “Pretty in Pink”

So let’s just start off by saying there are some excellent things in this bag but I don’t buy a lot of pink eyeshadows and I have a natural pink to my cheeks so I opt for bronzer over blush. That said, I’m going to judge based on ingredients moreso than color this go round.

my-ipsy-april-2013

In my bag:

  • MicaBeauty Mineral Eye Shadow – mica and no bad stuff. Excited to try this though pink isn’t something I jump up and down over most of the time. First I’ve heard of this brand though so I’ll be checking out their other products. I actually like the color as well. It’s got some sparkle to it but it’s not overkill either. starstarstarstarstar
  • Sexy Hair Soy Renewal – nope … soy and I don’t get along and if that weren’t bad enough it has dimethicone as an ingredient. Moving on. staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty
  • Miss Professional Nail Sation Nail Lacquer – this is a 3-free brand. Three free means no: dibutyl phthalate, toluene, or formaldehyde. I got the “Love At First Byte” color and it was the color I wanted of the two they shipped but the shade doesn’t wow me. I thought it was a dup to Zoya’s Lulu at first but it’s just very similar only a little darker. It’s very similar to my skin tone. Two coats shown in the Love at First Byte swatch below. I’ll update later with how long this lasted before chipping. starstarstarstarstar
    swatch Sation Love at First Byte nail polish
  • Be A Bombshell Blush – I checked out the ingredients …. talc and mineral oil…. I didn’t even read any further, it’s also bright bright pink so this is not for me. staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty

In the glamroom but NOT my bag:

  • Sexy Hair Powder Play – this scored a 1 when doing a custom report with the cosmetics database. No dimethicone and I WAS really excited to try this!! starstarstarstarstar BUT it’s NOT in my bag!! This was the item I wanted the MOST. More about this in a minute.
  • Two Cosmetics Duo Eye Shadow – first ingredient is talc and the last is “synthetic” something … usually means the eyeshadow isn’t going to be that great and will crease as the day wears on. So this product is not for me.  staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty

Overall I’m good with the bag. It was love it or hate it but I found out about some new to me brands and this bag also showed me that SOME of the Big Sexy Hair products could be good and acceptable ingredients-wise (though some of their products are also not going to touch my head.)

 

Now here’s where I’m REALLY annoyed – Sexy Hair’s Powder Play: It’s that whole “other people got it but I didn’t” thing. The product I wanted to TRY the most, I didn’t get. I tried using the sexy hair store locator on their website but I couldn’t get it to select the state from my iphone!!!!! I wanted it enough that I decided to hit all of the drugstores on the way home from the mail (business mailbox) because I knew I had seen the product lines those places.

WORSE:
I tried Rite Aide, I tried CVS, I tried Walgreens, I tried Target, I tried Meijer. I’m not kidding.

big-sexy-hair-drugstore-roundup

I could not find the Sexy Hair “Powder Play” any of these places. So … back home I check online and the one place I forgot was Ulta. So I’ll try there soon. If I don’t find it there, I’ll buy it on amazon.com (Ipsy’s $5 off of $25 purchase of the product from the ulta site isn’t a “deal” when you have to pay shipping… plus spend more money.)

Almost forgot. A discount code to GenBeauty in LA. The fact that it’s in LA I won’t be attending but the coupon code can be used by multiple people so I thought I would post it:

ipsy genbeauty discount code 2013

And the unboxing video (this time I remembered the tripod! But my angles are a little off):

If you like what you see, don’t forget to pin it or share the link!

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March 20, 2013

Easy Easter Nails – 3 options

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Posted in Nail Polish

I meant to post last year several looks for easy Easter nails but never got around to it. But Easter comes around each year so you could also look at it as well planned for this year. 🙂

Start with a couple of good matte / cream pastel shades: 

easy-easter-nails---nail-polish-lineup

Your choice of colors can really affect whether these look Easter-y or not so I’ve put together a few options from different nail polish brands. Shown above left to right (what I used): Essie Turquoise & Caicos, Sinful Colors Sweet Tooth, Sinful Colors Orange Cream, Sinful Colors Unicorn, Sinful Colors Snow Me White, Wet N’ Wild 210C Tropicalia

Possible Pastel Color Sets:

Sinful Colors pastels set “Sugar Rush” display:
Sinful-Colors-Sugar-Rush-Display

  • Mint Apple (pastel green, not shown)
  • Unicorn (pastel yellow)
  • Orange Cream (pastel orange)
  • Sweet Tooth (pastel purple)
  • Sugar Rush (light turquoise)
  • Cotton Candy (pastel pink)
  • Sweet Nothing (pastel blue)
  • Candy Coated (another pastel purple with a hint more blue)
  • Sugar & Spice (another pastel pink but darker than Cotton Candy)

Essie pastels set:

essie-temporary-photo(I’ll try and go back and take a few more photos of possible Essie colors soon)

  • Lapiz of luxury (periwinkle / blue purple)
  • Neo Whimsical (lilac / pinky purple)
  • Turquoise & Caicos (pastel turquoise)
  • Tart Deco (pastel orange with a hint of pink)
  • Check-up (though there are tons of pinks that are possible)

Wet N’ Wild pastels set:

wet-n-wild-pastel-colors

  • 201C Wet Cement
  • 218A I Need a Refresh-Mint
  • 213C On a Trip
  • 208B Through the Grapevine
  • 209C Candy-licious
  • 210C Tropicalia
  • 211B Club Havana

Additional polishes:

  • Base Coat
  • Any pure white nail polish (optional – used Sinful Colors “Snow Me White”)
  • Essie’s “matte about you” top coat (optional)
  • Your favorite glossy top coat (if no matte coat used)

Keep in mind that if you have trouble combining colors, want a simpler look OR simply want to spend less money on polishes, choose one pastel color and white for your pattern accent.

Option #1 – Your easiest option – Multi-color pastels (Least skill needed):

Just paint each nail a different pastel color. Base coat, multiple colors of nail polish, top coat, done. And if you have it available, I like matte like Essie’s “Matte About You” for the top coat. 🙂

easter-nails-glossy-v-matte

 

Option #2 – Polka Dots (your second easiest option):

Additional tools needed: Something to make dots with. This can be any of the following:

  • a hairpin – you’ll need to straighten it some
  • toothpick – you may have to draw with this if the end is smaller than the dot you want
  • straight pin (sewing) – inserted in a pencil eraser for better control and so you don’t poke yourself

easy-easter-nails-dotting-tool

If you’re expecting perfection you either need a steady hand or maybe try out a stamping tool instead like Konad.

Option #3 – Zig Zag / Chevron (a little bit harder but still easy):

Additional tools needed: 

  1. Scotch tape
  2. Zig Zag scissors / Pinking Shears (easily found at most craft or sewing stores)
  3. Regular scissors (small is better in my opinion)
  4. Glossy top coat required

Chevron-Stripes-nail-polish-easy-easter-nails

I have in fact tried the method shown by Birchbox here. When I tried directly on my own nails though, I must not have pressed down on the tape enough because I had nail polish leak under it in places. The only place I had good success with this method the few times I tried it was not on my own hand (on plastic nail trays.)

But I found an even simpler method – we’re going to create our own chevron nail striping tape which is easier to get right as well as creating crisper edges. We want easy Easter nails right?

Chevron Striping Tape Steps:

  1. Paint your scotch tape with several coats of nail polish. Paint a little more tape than you think you will need. Paint and let dry, paint and let dry. Be sure to really let this dry before you move on to the next step. (For informational purposes – mine sat overnight on the tape dispenser because I thought I was going to do my nails yesterday but didn’t.)
    .
  2. Cut your tape with the zig zag scissors. This may take a couple of tries to get lined up the way you want so don’t worry if the first piece isn’t what you want on your nails. I used the mug in the photos to hold my tape parts temporarily.
    .
  3. Apply the chevron strips to your nails. Use as many or as few as you want (also depending on your nail size.) I didn’t use tweezers but they may help place the tape if you’re having trouble.
    .
  4. Trim the excess tape using your small regular scissors. Shown are sewing thread scissors. Cuticle scissors are also small.
    .
  5. Add a clear top coat or two to seal the tape in place and you’re done!

And there you have it, 3 options for easy Easter Nails!

Update: The chevron tape lasted about 3-4 days before the thinner chevrons started coming off. I’m not sure if it might last longer with an extra top coat or without the matte polish underneath.

chevron-striping-over-time

February 18, 2013

February 2013 subscription boxes – Birchbox VS Ipsy

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Posted in Beauty & Skin, Hair, Makeup / Cosmetics, Nail Polish, Skin Care, Subscription boxes

The last few months I’ve been very unimpressed with what I’ve received in my Birchbox. Worse is seeing other people get things that would have been perfect for me that THEY hate. EVEN worse was getting the January box and getting a headache because of the perfume … and I didn’t even open the perfume sample!!! Anyway, I had posted a photo over on instagram and had several recommendations to try ipsy.

Ipsy is comparable to Birchbox in that it’s $10/ month including shipping.
I looked over recent boxes and the contents looked better than what Birchbox has been sending me so I signed up. Birchbox finally redeemed itself a little this month though.

birchbox-v-ipsy

Bear with me now … this is going to be a long post.

Ispy:

Coastal Scents Shadow Palette Sample: This was the item I was most excited for and most disappointed in. Apparently Coastal Scents has a separate mineral makeup line but they also have a regular line – one with talc and mineral oil in the ingredients. I gave it a try anyway (it’s on my eyes and neither talc nor mineral oil breaks me out quickly) and was still disappointed. It applied like a cheap drugstore product – a lot of fallout for something that was pressed. In fact I’ve used a few drugstore products that were better quality (try L’oreal Hip if you’re not trying to stick to mineral makeups.) It was just such a disappointment on so many levels.
starstaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty – 1 star

POP Smokey Lash Kapow Mascara: I prefer Waterproof mascara (mascara is the one thing I’ve given up going organic/natural on.) This is not a waterproof mascara however the brush on this is excellent so I’ll probably keep it on hand just in case.
starstarstarstaremptystarempty – 3 stars

MicaBeauty Gel Eyeliner: Ok so I typically use my waterproof mascara as a liquid eyeliner – a trick I picked up trying to cut back on liquids for the airlines. This is definitely better both in quality of ingredients as well as speed of a good application.  If I hadn’t already had a good liner brush I might have been disappointed because you can’t exactly apply this with a finger. Running a custom report on this with the cosmeticdatabase.com brings this up as a 2 AND it’s waterproof! It does have talc in it but that’s not too bad in this type of product’s case. I wish they would use this set of ingredients and make a mascara out of it! (I checked, their mascara ingredient list isn’t even close.) Full size is $30 and I think I would actually buy it – it should last awhile. Think MAC Fluidline but better, and healthier.
starstarstarstarstar – 5 stars

Lash Card: I was interested in this one but in application I’m underwhelmed. Also I somehow thought this was a reusable plastic card. Instead it was a disposable cardstock (thick paper.) Makes sense though because this feels like it might be more useful to a makeup artist. I feel like this would be helpful if I were applying mascara to someone else but not that useful for me. Granted I like mascara that has a nice bristly brush so this might help more if you’re using a mascara brush that has those funky spiky rubbery brushes. So it’s not totally useless but I just can’t see the need for them personally.
starstarstaremptystaremptystarempty – 2 stars

All products except primer (left eye makeup, right eye just powder foundation):

Pixi Flawless & Poreless Primer: I wasn’t jumping up and down over this one initially but when I read over the ingredients and there was no dimethicone I gave it a try and was fairly impressed. I don’t have a lot of experience with primers simply because so many have “cones” for ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I don’t think I would wear it daily because I feel a bit more like I have more makeup on but I do think I’ll be using it for special events or situations where I’m more likely to have my photo taken. I’m giving it 4 stars because for a really matte look you would still need some sort of finishing powder.
starstarstarstarstarempty – 4 stars

Birchbox:

Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel squares: who dislikes chocolate? (I’m sure there’s someone but please don’t respond if you’re that person.) They did not go wrong here. Is it the best chocolate ever? No but it’s pretty darn tasty and you could pick some up at the drugstore.
starstarstarstarstarempty – 4 stars

Miss Jessie’s® Original Pillow Soft Curls: Fragrance was on the ingredients list but I was interested in this one because I didn’t see dimethicone. So I ran it through the cosmetics database and it came up a 6… and then I noticed it: “AMODIMETHICONE.” Ugh. Another “cone” so another I won’t be trying. In the process of looking up the ingredients list I felt a bit ripped off because you can get free samples directly from Miss Jessie’s website. Granted it’s not clear if they charge for shipping but I thought I should mention it for anyone interested in trying this product.
staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty – No rating – Dimethicone causes breakouts for me.

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: I love a good exfoliator. When I looked over the ingredient list the one item that really stood out as something to avoid was “parfume.” I did a quick run through the cosmeticsdatabase.com and with the exact list of ingredients it gets a 5. A little higher than I like to go but it seems like scrubs and peels, even when they are more natural, tend to go a little higher because they contain ingredients  that remove the top layer of skin and increasing skin sensitivity. Part of the reason “parfume” concerns me has to do with toxicity but the other part has to do with my allergies and it will sometimes rule out even trying a product. I sniffed the product and didn’t react so I decided to give it a go. On the one hand it IS being washed off afterwards, on the other hand you are abrading the skin increasing your ability to absorb toxins … so I’m definitely going to mark it down a star for the perfume. It’s an excellent exfoliator though and I would have given it a 4.5 if they had lost the added fragrance.
starstarstarstaremptystarempty – 3.5 stars

Color Club Fiesta Collection in “Wild Cactus”: LOVE this color. It’s a wonderful emerald / kelly green which is something I’ve been looking for. Perfect shade, no sparkle, and a color I’ve been looking for. It’s hard to find a green that isn’t too muddy, too apple-y, too minty, or is just plain a shimmer or glitter nail polish. I like it with navy or hot pink in my outfit (a bit preppy) but it’s not something I expect to be able to wear all the time. Oh, and emerald is 2013’s Pantone color of the year. 🙂
starstarstarstarstar – 5 stars

Lancôme LA BASE PRO primer:

Screen Shot 2013-02-17 at 6.13.00 PM

I was excited about this one because of some of the before and after photos I had seen online. Click on the image at the left to watch the HSN example. Until we get to the Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone crosspolymer, F.I.L. (B26685/1) Since the tube didn’t have the info and I had a hard time finding them , here’s the source of the ingredient list: http://beautyreductionista.blogspot.com/2012/11/sample-month-day-17-lancome-la-base-pro.html
staremptystaremptystaremptystaremptystarempty – No rating – Dimethicone causes breakouts for me so we’ll just leave this one at that.

Final verdict for the February Boxes?

Ipsy products overall average 3 stars
VS
Birchbox products overall average 2.5 stars

Birchbox gave me enough good stuff this month not to cancel. That little perk of points for product reviews means you can recoup half of your money to buy other products from their website, IF you remember to do the reviews on their site. 1 out of 4 boxes being decent isn’t going to cut it though Birchbox – you need to get your act together a bit more. I thought the initial survey was to understand our tastes and preferences and that seems to have been ignored. When you get 3 boxes (15 products) in a row with nothing you can use or even try, it starts becoming that thing in your mail that you dread. “How are they going to disappoint me this time.” “I’m paying $10 for this?”

AND, in case Birchbox is reading this, I also REALLY want an option to opt out of all perfumes since it’s clear I’m never going to get the organic/natural perfume samples. I’d rather not get a perfume headache like I did with the January box!!!

Ipsy gave me a complete package, baggy and all. Even though I was really dissappointed in the eyeshadow, I don’t expect 100% of the products to work out perfectly for me or always be to my tastes. Looking over their past boxes this one looks like they have had something each month I would be interested in. I’ll definitely be sticking with this one for awhile. VERY happy with my first month with them.

 Still not signed up for Birchbox? :D

Birchbox affiliate link
http://birchbox.com?raf=3l3e7
{ yes it’s an affiliate link, I get 50 points which equals $5 credit – share the love! }

January 18, 2013

Sinful Colors Thimbleberry vs Essie Boat House vs Zoya Elodie – Matches, mismatches, dups & swatches

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Posted in Nail Polish

Sinful Colors Thimbleberry vs Essie Boat House vs Zoya Elodie

I love Essie “Boat House” which is a lovely coral color that isn’t too harsh. But it’s an older Essie color (and no longer available) and it’s one of the worst nail polishes I own in terms of chipping. I think this may be the case with older Essie colors. And it seems like there was some sort of formula change at some point because I’ve only had problems with some clearance Essie polishes I purchased over the summer.

So I’ve been on the lookout for other colors I could replace it with. I already owned Sinful Colors “Thimbleberry” but it’s a little bit darker than the Essie and not quite close enough (though fairly close.)

So when the Zoya three free promo happened, I went through my spoons and double checked colors online and picked out Zoya’s “Elodie” to try and replace “Boat House” with. Swatched it looks like the perfect dup which makes me happy. I have yet to try it out to see about chipping but I’ve not had any problems with that on Zoya polishes (matte polishes on the other hand simply don’t last as long but that’s a different story.)