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. 

November Ipsy Glam Bag Review

November Ipsy Glam Bag Review:

This months glam bag was glitter themed, though not many of the items were that sparkly.  All in all I found this months bag a success.  The makeup bag was cute, though not my favorite. 

1. Be a Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in Submissive

By far my favorite product this month, this eye base looks amazing, even on its own!  This was one of the few sparkly items from the glam bag this month.  It also is a good size and will last me for awhile.

2. Elizabeth Mott You're so Fine Eyeliner in Glitterati

My second favorite item from this months glam bag!  I have very sensitive eyes, so eyeliners can be a little difficult for me to use.  This liquid one is great for your eyelid and makes a stunning cat eye.  The size is nice and I am sure I will be buying this brand when I run out.

3. J. Cat Beauty Wonder Lip Paint in Red Potion

I liked this though it was a little hard apply.  The color lasted a long time and the size is a good amount.

4. Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder + Mini Fan Brush

Probably my least favorite item from this month.  I don't wear a lot of foundation so though this is nice to have when I do wear it, I doubt I will use this a lot.  It did its job well, though the size of the sample is small and the brush does not really work very well when trying to apply the powder.

5. Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray

I was really excited to get this to use with the Beach spray I got a few glam bags back.  The smell is amazing and the size is perfect to throw in your purse for use on the go.  It also made my hair look very shiny and healthy.

Autumn Jewelry Sale in the Etsy Shop!

AUTUMN SALE!

Until November 17th all autumn and Halloween themed jewelry in the Etsy shop shop will be on sale!  Many beautiful pieces have been discounted so now is the time to buy!!

One of my favorite of the pieces on sale!

November Ipsy BAG! (Review coming SOON!)

Just got this months Ipsy Glam Bag!  This month is all about sparkles, and I am so excited to try everything out!!  Review coming soon!

This month I got eyeliner, eye base, finishing powder, hair spray, and lip paint!  Sadly I forgot to take a picture with the hair spray. :P

Polymer Clay Hair Accessories!

So, recently I started making some polymer clay hair accessories for cosplay, costumes, or just to add a little something to your outfit!

I am working on some more crowns, holiday/Christmas pieces, AND cat ears. :P

After I do a few of those I plan on doing a few cosplay character pieces!

The Fermi Paradox and the End of all Intelligent Life

Since the beginning, humans have always looked up and wondered.  They wondered what was up there, and as our knowledge of the Universe grew we began to wonder who might be up above.  What other creatures roam our universe, and do they look up and wonder as we do?  Is it truly possible that we are alone even with the over 300 billion stars that inhabit our galaxy, and the over 100 billion galaxies that fill our universe?

Once we started wondering those things, we started searching for any signs of life outside of Earth, and since then no proof of alien life has been found. In 1950, Enrico Fermi, a physicist, had an informal discussion where he questioned why, with all the billions of stars in our galaxy alone, we have been unable to find any evidence of intelligent alien life.(*)  Intelligent life would be the most likely for us to be able to detect, since the idea is that they would have and understand similar technology like radio signals and probes.  It is also theorized that the possibility of far more advance intellegent life should be high because many stars and planets have been around far longer than Earth, giving them far more time to evolve than us. Also, if there is intelligent life, it should go on to colonize the galaxy, just as we continue to push farther and farther toward exploring the galaxy.

The Fermi Paradox is the idea that since we have been unable to detect any alien life, and there is no evidence that our galaxy has been colonized in any way, there must be something that destroys 100% of all intelligent life before it gains the ability to go on to colonize and explore the galaxy and ultimately the universe.  Many people ponder what this destructive force may be.  Will we be our own worst enemy and destroy ourselves with our own technology? Perhaps our demise will come in the form of a massive asteroid.  Whatever the cause, all intelligent life must be destroyed, as it would go on to colonize the galaxy and no evidence of this has been found.

This paradox is fascinating to me, and I have spent some time discussing it with my husband, Andrew. Though the idea of a massive destructive force that destroys all intelligent life is interesting, I did have a few thoughts concerning the likelihood of this.  There are so many factors at play in the universe that we only understand that we don't understand most things.  Our knowledge of the universe is limited and what we do know about physics breaks down on the quantum level, demonstrating that some essential information about our universe is still being put together.  Because of this, one major flaw in the Fermi Paradox is the assumption that if other intelligent life in our galaxy exists it would be using technology similar to us.  It is very possible that any technology being used by intelligent life is far beyond any that we understand.  On a universal scale, humans have only been around for a microscopic amount of time.  Given a few hundred million years, or even a few billion, the technology of the day would be far more advanced than ours and possibly undetectable with our current level of technology.

Something else I thought about is that the Fermi Paradox makes the assumption that intelligent life is something that can happen on any planet in a habitable zone with enough time.  Perhaps Earth is lucky, and intelligent life is actually far rarer than we like to assume.  We have only catalogued about 2 million species on Earth currently, and it is estimated that there are 8.7 million species in total on Earth today.(*)  The amount of species that have ever existed on Earth is immeasurable and massive, and from what we know we are the only technologically advanced species.  Think how many species had to come along before we evolved into the intelligent life we are today.  If the evolution of intelligent and technologically advanced life is rarer than we like to speculate, it is possible humans are the first in this galaxy, or are one of the first to evolve.  It is very possible that there are components to intelligent life that are much more complicated than we care to admit, and that our understanding of the human body and mind is still extremely limited. What other factors have to be in play for intelligent life to have room to evolve?

Something I have noticed about many science authorities and historians, is that they have the tendency to underestimate the human race.  Although this is somewhat related to my previous point about the possibility that intelligent life is a very rare occurrence, I think it needs to be pointed out the there is the possibility that humans are a unique occurrence.  I personally believe this is far less likely, and intelligent life does exist out there.  None the less, there is that possibility that humans are, in fact, unique.  Perhaps our thirst for knowledge, and our tendency to always ask why, are something that requires a factor we do not understand. Humans have an ingrained curiosity for everything.  We ask how at every turn, and more importantly we are desperate to know why.  When you look back at the marvels of the world, like Stonehenge, we only have flimsy theories as to how they were created.  Since the beginning of our existence, our posterity have underestimated their ancestors, only proving to us more that what we think humans are capable of are just the beginning.

Perhaps there will come a time when humanity faces the Fermi Paradox and we will never get to truly explore the stars, but I like to think that one day we may encounter alien intelligent life and find them to be much like us, doubting their own abilities, wondering what amazing miracles exist in this beautiful expanse that we call the universe.

August Ipsy Glam Bag Review

Ipsy August Glam Bag Review

Credit: Ipsy

Here is my Ipsy review!  The bag was adorable and will make a great make-up bag!

BUY IT HERE!

Eyeshadow by Coastal Scents:

I really loved this eyeshadow.  The brown adds a very rich color and when highlighted with the white and light brown and gives a nice dark eye.

BUY IT HERE!

Mongongo Lip Conditioner by Jersey Shore Sun:

By far my favorite item this month!  This lip conditioner smells amazing and really moisturize your lips!  It was really nice to get a full size in this and I use it all the time!

BUY IT HERE!

Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk by Klorane:

I have never used a dry shampoo and was a bit skeptical, but this product works pretty well!  If you just need to get up and go and don't have the time for a shower this product is great, though I honestly don't use it a ton.

BUY IT HERE!

Sheer Glo by Mana Kadar Cosmetics:

This product adds a nice, subtle, sheer glo that looks like natural radiance.  I use this whenever I apply makeup and it really adds something a little extra.  You can use it with your foundation or face cream as well!

BUY IT HERE!

24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil by Urban Decay:

My second favorite item this month, and almost full size sample, is this Eye Pencil!  I really have wanted to work with a smoky eye with black and purple eyeshadow and this eyeliner looks great when trying a smokey eye look.  It also is waterproof and stays on very well!  Also, being almost full size, there is plenty to use for future looks!

Thank you so much for reading through my review!  Once I receive my September bag, I will be sure to post a review faster than August's.