January Ipsy Glam Bag Review

January Ipsy Glam Bag Review

This months Glam Bag was one of my favorites so far.  For me, it was all about the eyes.  Every Ipsy Glam Bag subscriber received a Pacifica Eyeshadow in either Ethereal or Treasure.  The items in this bag seemed to be great quality and I really was surprised that I liked every single item I received.

1. Bellapierre Shimmer Powder in Excite(Sort of Full Size)

   Probably my favorite items from this month, those who received one of these in their bag were given one of three colors, Excite, Celebration, and Whesek.  This shimmer powder has a lot of pigment and of course sparkles!  In my bag I was given Excite(a white powder) and fell in love right away.  This powder is very pigmented, so you only need a small amount.  Since I received the white shimmer powder I can use it as a highlighter for my eyes or as an overall shadow.  Though it makes a beautiful highlighter, I prefer to use it as an overall shadow.  Combined with a glitter eyeliner, my eyelids look like they have little diamonds all over them. The most common complaint on the Shimmer Powder page was that this powder was TOO pigmented, so if you are worried about that it is best to apply a tiny amount.  Also, to prevent fallout, wet your shadow brush before you apply the shimmer powder. The size I received has the same amount as the full size, but the container was not in the same type you would get if you went and bought it.  So it is sort of full size, which is nice as the full size is around $15.00.

2. Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush(Full Size)

   I always love getting makeup tools, and this brush was a wonderful addition to my Glam Bag.  The bristles are so soft and really provide a good brush for a lot of different eyeshadow ideas.  It is small enough that you can get more precise as well as all over coverage.  Also, it's pink and thats always an added bonus.  This brush was perfect for the Bellapierre Shimmer powder I received.  A few Ipsters on the Elizabeth Mott Eye Brush page were not thrilled about getting another brush, as they got a different one last month.  Personally, I think you can never have enough brushes so this was no problem for me.

3. Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm(Full Size)

This lip balm has an amazing smell and really left my lips feeling soft and smooth.  I have been using it daily since I got it and will be very sad when I run out.  Many people on the Mojito Lip Balm page really loved the smell as well.  For anyone with really dry or chapped lips I would recommend this!

4. Nourish Organic Renewing Eye Cream

   Last month this was also a possible sample you could receive from your Glam Bag, but sadly I missed out on it.  Luckily, this month it was available again and I was fortunate enough to be sent one in my Glam Bag. I am ill a lot of the time, so my eyes often look tired and have dark circles under them and this cream seems to help reduce both.  Some people on the Renewing Eye Cream page, and seemed to see more results than others, and I have personally used other, better eye creams.  Though this does help, it may not be my first choice of an eye cream.  

5. Pacifica Natural Mineral Coconut Eyeshadow(full size)

   Every Ipsy subscriber received a Pacifica eyeshadow in either treasure(above) or Ethereal.  I was given the shade treasure and LOVE it.  This eyeshadow has a lot of pigment, and stays on all day when applied with a wet eyeshadow brush.  The shade, treasure, comes out as a metallic tone and even has a little bit of shimmer!  This is a really good get up and go eyeshadow when you don't feel like spending a lot of time on your makeup.  Some subscribers on the Pacifica Ipsy page were not fond of the other shade, Ethereal. While some were able to use it as a highlighter, others said it was almost too pale and was more of an off white than white.  As I received the shadow in treasure, I can not give much of an opinion on the shade Ethereal. Personally, I was thrilled when I saw I had received Treasure, as I was a little concerned that Ethereal would be a little too neutral. I loved this brand of eyeshadow and would recommend it to anyone needing a nicely pigmented eye shadow.

One of my favorite Ipsy bags so far, I look forward to what is to come in the new year.  High quality product, sparkles, and full size samples?  What more do you need?

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My Dove #trydry Review

My Dove #trydry Review

Loving my #trydry experience!

My Dove #trydry experience:

   Recently, I have really gotten into product testing and promotion, and one of the sites that I participate in said product testing sent me a free Dove dry spray Deodorant to try and share my opinions on!  As someone who has always used Secret, and has a hard time finding a deodorant that works well, I was skeptical. Boy, was I wrong.  After the first time I tried out the Dove dry spray deodorant I fell in love and have been using it ever since.  This deodorant smells fresh and clean and dries pretty much instantly, leaving your clothes clear of messy deodorant residue!  Also, because it is a spray, it comes out cool and can be delightfully refreshing! This product is one of my faves, and I would recommend anyone wanting a refreshing, non-messy deodorant!

Art Review: Heather Gwinn

Review: Heather Gwinn Art

Click here for the Heather Gwinn Facebook!

   Some months ago I discovered an artist who I found really spoke to me.  In December the artist, Heather Gwinn, hosted a 12 days of Christmas giveaway and to my delight and surprise I won one of the prints she was giving away!  The piece I one is called "Blue Funk" and I LOVE it!  The product itself came very carefully wrapped up with no damage from shipping, which can be a problem when shipping prints and artwork, and was also accompanied by a handwritten letter.  Every piece that came in the package, from business cards to certificate of authenticity, were beautiful and had examples of her art on each piece.

   Her art reminds me of a Dali/Escher fusion, with its own unique quality.  This surreal art will leave you looking at each and every detail for hours, contemplating the meaning her art has to you.  Each print seems to have a complete, unique story that really speaks to each person differently.  

   My husband, Andrew, fell in love with Heather Gwinn's art when he first saw the print I won and now wants her art all over our home.  His favorite print is, The Summoning.  This piece has a spooky, eerie quality and the creature in the print seems to stare directly at you from every direction.  At the same time, there is a beauty that keeps you captivated and unable to look away. 

   Heather Gwinn is an artist who knows how to enchant and entangle you in the mysterious world that is her mind.  I will be following this artist for a long time to come, and if you are looking for unique, captivating surreal art, this is a good artist to check out!

December Ipsy Glam Bag Review

December Ipsy Glam Bag

Decembers glam bag was a 7 out of 10 for me.  The products I got that I like I REALLY loved, but there were two items I was not as fond of.  All Ipsy subscribers received a NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in one of four colors and a Tarte Deluxe lights, camera, lashes™ 4-in-1 Mascara. Overall I am very happy with the items I got, and the 3 products I LOVED I use all the time.

1. Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser

   Probably my least favorite item from this months Glam Bag, this cleanser did not work for me.  It smelled nice, but irritated my skin. I have relatively sensitive skin, so many products that work for others don't work for me.  Reading through the comments on the cleansers Ipsy page others with sensitive skin had similar problems, while others had a positive experience using this product.  My advice, if you have sensitive skin it may be best to avoid this, but if your skin is normal in sensitivity you may very well like this product and it does have a pleasant and refreshing smell. 

2. Cailyn Cosmetics Just Mineral Eye Polish in Orchid(Full Size Item)

   By far one of my favorite items I received from an Ipsy Glam Bag, this eye polish is beautiful and adds a stunning shimmer to your eyelids.  Because it is a mineral polish, I find that using an eyeshadow primer OR cream eyeshadow before you put on the polish is a good idea and prevents a lot of fallout. This seemed to be one of the chief complaints on the mineral eye polish Ipsy page.  People also seemed to dislike the applicator, and I have to agree it is not the easiest to work with.  Additionally, on the Cailyn Cosmetics Website there are some really interesting examples of how this eye polish can be used for things from eyeliner and nail polish!

3. NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in Marshmallow - Pure Nude(Full Size Item)

   Every Ipsy Glam Bag subscriber received one of 4 colors of this lip balm(Marshmallow, Red Velvet, Parfait, and Lady Fingers).  I received the shade Marshmallow(pure nude) and was not fond of the color from the beginning.  The balm itself made my lips super soft and it pigmented nicely but the color itself I did not like.  Not being a big fan of nudes and tones like that, I doubt I would have liked it unless it was a different color.  Others with the similar tone seemed to not be fond of it on the Butter Lip Balm Ipsy page, but those who received the a lip balm in one of the other shades seemed to really like this product.  In my opinion the balm in the shade Lady Fingers seemed to be the favorite of the four.

4. Sexy Hair 450° Blow out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray Mini

   I love, love, love this product!  It has an amazing smell and my hair is super shiny and sleek after blow drying it.  This spray really protects against heated styling tools and I use it every time I blow dry or curl my hair.  The sample size is good, and I think it will last me for awhile.  It is a product I will definitely be buying when I run out of this sample.  On the Sexy Hair Ipsy page there were mixed feelings about this product. Some seemed to get great results while others felt it did not make much of a difference.  Personally, I noticed it is good to use a liberal amount when spraying in you hair as that gets the best results.  The scent bothers some, while others, including me, LOVE the scent.  It comes out smelling clean and fresh and I had no problems with it.

5. Tarte Deluxe lights, camera, lashes™

 4-in-1 Mascara

   This Mascara is amazing and every Ipsy Glam Bag subscriber was lucky to get one in there December Glam Bag.  I don't think I have ever used a Mascara that made my lashes so long a full.  It takes a couple coats and it is good to watch the video in the description on the Tarte website to get some hints on how to maximize this product effectiveness.  The size of the sample is the same size as the Tarte mascara in the Best in Faux lash extending fibers set.  The set is $19.00 for both the Deluxe mascara and the Faux lash extending fibers, but I found that the mascara worked very well on its own!  The general consensus on the Tarte Deluxe Mascara Ipsy page is one of extreme satisfaction and delight at receiving such a high quality product that works so amazingly well.

  Overall this Ipsy bag was great and all my criticisms are minor in relation to the value of the products and the use, overall, that is gained from them.