February 2016: Ipsy Bag

This month's ipsy theme was "Pretty in #IPSYPINK" and I received the following five products: Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment, Luxie Beauty Flat Definer Brush 221, Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Oil, Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind Sparkling Lipgloss in Pink Sequin, and Jersey Shore Cosmetics Vanilla Bean Anti-Aging Lip and Hand Polish.

 

Before I begin, I would like to mention that this month's ipsy bag was a total fail for me. I personally did not like any product so this review is going to be a little negative.

 

 

Jersey Shore Cosmetics Vanilla Bean Anti-Aging Lip and Hand Polish.: This is basically a brown sugar scrub but is super greasy and oily. It leaves a weird film on the hands so I really don't like it.

 

Luxie Beauty Flat Definer Brush 221: A simple and decent flat definer brush. It looks nice but I personally don't have a use for yet another brush.

 

Smashbox Cosmetics Photo Finish Primer Oil: This is the size of hundred points perk at Sephora. Unfortunately, it did not work for my skin.

 

Product accumulates in the rim and the lid due to the lack of a sifter or cover for the pigment.

 

 

 Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment in Sierra Nevada: Just last month, I mentioned how I am not a fan of loose pigments but received another one from Ipsy this month. This one is exceptionally messy because it does not have sifter to hold the pigment in, so a lot of product accumulates in the rim of the container and the lid. Also, the color is just a regular bronze and not unique enough to go through the trouble.

 

 

Vintage by Jessica Liebeskind Sparkling Lip gloss in Pink Sequin: The name explains the shade very well. It is straight up shimmer particles in a goopy and sticky base, so I do not like it at all.

 

So, overall this month's Ipsy bag was a huge disappointment for me. I have been an Ipsy subscriber since 2011 and I feel its the time to let it go because a lot of brands that are sent by Ipsy are not even available in Canada, so even if I like something I can't order it. Also, due to the horrible exchange rate and extra shipping charges, the Canadian subscribers pay double the amount for mediocre products, and the few high end items that are sent can be redeemed as point perks for free at Sephora.

 

What is your opinion about Ipsy and other subscription bags? Do you have any recommendations? I am looking for other subscription services that ship to Canada.

 

Thank you so much for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

 

 

 

January 2016: Ipsy Bag

This month's ipsy theme is "All Eyes On You" and I received the following five products: Beau Gâchis® Paris Smudge Brush, Mitchell and Peach English Leaf Body Cream, theBalm Cosmetics Mr Write (Now), Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow, and Pur~lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum.

 

 

Mitchell and Peach English Leaf Body Cream: This is a fairly moisturizing body cream that sinks right into the skin within seconds of applying it; and contains some really good ingredients like sweet almond oil, sweet orange oil, basil oil, vitamin E, lavender oil, cedarwood oil, peppermint oil, etc. To me it smells like grass or leafs, which is actually true to the description at the back that says "blended with a bright 'green floral' scent inspired by green countryside". So, overall it is a decent product.  

 

Gâchis® Paris Smudge Brush: This is definitely not a smudge brush, and it's too big for even being a blending brush. It is very round and full because the barrel that holds the bristles is completely round and not pinched in at all,  so I am not really sure how I will use it. Ipsy has actually suggested to use it for blending gel or other liners, but it is too big for that. The bristles are not extremely soft so it holds its shape and is not flimsy. I looked up on the company's website and it retails for $12 USD (on sale now for $10 USD); it is handcrafted using both animal and synthetic hair. But overall, I did not like it because for me it is very close to the size of my under eye concealer brush.

 

 

Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in You're Toast: At first I was really disappointed that I received another mineral shadow because I don't like using loose powders, but I think I will be using this one because its really beautiful. You're Toast is a gorgeous peachy rose gold shade, and is perfect for natural but bright everyday look.

 

 

theBalm Mr. Write (Now) Eyeliner Pencil in Jac: This is one of the creamiest and softest eyeliner pencils that I have ever tried. It literally feels like butter. The shade Jac is bronzy but with very subtle olive undertone. It has amazing staying power, and it does not move at all once it sets. I tried rubbing it off as hard as I could but it did not budge whatsoever. So, I am definitely going to try more colors from this line.

 

Pur~lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum: I haven't tried this yet, but I have admit that this is the most generous eye cream sample (7ml)  that I have ever received, considering that the full size is only 15ml and retails for $65 USD.

 

Overall, it was a decent Ipsy bag this month.

 

What did you get in your  bag? What was your favorite product?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

 

December 2015: Ipsy Bag

Once again I received my ipsy bag at the end of the month. I am not sure what's causing the delay because I have been a subscriber for almost 3 years and never had this issue.  But anyways, this month I received the following five products: Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick, Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eyeliner, Marc Anthony Deep Conditioning Treatment, RickyCare 3D Blender, ModelCo Lip Liner.

 

 

RickyCare by Ricky's NYC 3D Blender: When I first took it out of the packet and washed it, I did not like it at all because it felt rubbery and slippery like those traditional makeup wedges.  It is not light and airy so does not bounce back to its shape like beauty blender, and retains the impression for a few seconds before going back to its normal shape. Also, it holds the water inside and shrinks in size on losing the excess water. However, it works. I used it with a light weight foundation and it blended well so I am definitely going to use it and keep the beauty blender for special occasions.

 

Marc Anthony Coconut Oil and Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment: I haven't used it yet but Marc Anthony products are usually nice so I am hoping for the best.

 

ModelCo Illusion Lip Liner & Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eye Liner

 

ModelCo Lip Enhancer Illusion Lip Liner: From the packaging I thought this is going to be a beautiful vibrant pink liner but it is actually a pinky nude. It is just an average liner, and feels a bit drying.

 

Be A Bombshell Mechanical Eye Liner: This is my least favorite product from the bag. It lacks pigmentation, so requires a lot of work to build up the color but disappears in a single swipe. And its not just this liner that is below average in quality but almost all the products from this brand that I have tried through ipsy are same.



Nudie Red



Nudie Red & Tender Heart



Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick in Nudie Red: This feels more like a balm than a lipstick because it is moisturizing, light weight and sheer. The shade nudie red is nude with reddish pinky hues and comes across as peachy. I have compared it with the shade called Tender Hearts from the same line and they look almost alike except that the latter is a tad bit browny.

 

 

 

Em Michelle Phan Shade Play Eye Color Palette in Bali Bronzes: This was a surprise product and I honestly thought that I received it by mistake, but then later found out that all the long term members have been sent different versions of this palette. The packaging is beautiful, the display is pretty but I feel the shadows are not up to the par. The very light gold does not show up and is not even visible in the picture. The three mid toned shades are nice but the two darker ones lack pigmentation. Also, all the shades are shimmery and very similar to each other. So, overall it is not a palette that can be used on its own as it does not have enough color and texture differentiation.

 

What did you get in your ipsy bag this month? What was your favourite product?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

 

 

 

Products I Regret Buying: Eyeshadows

This post is all about the eyeshadows that I regret buying. But before I begin, I would like to clarify that even though these products did not work for me, I am not trashing them in any way. If you have any tips or tricks to make these work, please leave them in the comments below. Also, since its already clear that I don't like these products, so I am gonna keep it short and sweet :)

 

So, lets get started...

 

Yves Rocher Quad Eyeshadow in 06 Brun Incandescent: This sumptuous color quad comes in beautiful rose gold packaging with a nice mirror and an instructions card. However, it lacks pigmentation and especially the two mid-toned shades barely show up on my skin. Retails for $20 CAD but is always on sale for $10.                                     

 

 

 

 

Rimmel London Eyeshadow Quad in 002 Smoky Brun: I bought it because everyone on youtube raved about it. However, the two lighter shades of the quad are almost invisible on my lids so I don't use it.

 

 

Shade placement in the quad is as follows: left, right, bottom, top

 

Yves Rocher Duo Eyeshadow in 23 Mauve et Kaki: The olive green shade is really nice and smooth, however, the cool toned purple that makes 2/3 of the palette is chalky and doesn't apply evenly. Also, the silver glitter kind of dilutes the purple and makes it appear more silvery.

 

 

 

Jesse's Girl Mineralized Baked Powder Eyeshadow in Graphite Frost: Looks beautiful in the pan but doesn't show up on the skin at all.  

 

 

Laura Mercier Eye Color Duo in Violet: This is a discontinued product which can still be found on some online websites. The dark plum shade has no pigmentation whatsoever. The swatch below has been done with several swipes back and forth. So, I would not recommend buying it even if it is insanely discounted.

 

 

 

Pacifica Natural beauty Duo 2: The packaging is kinda flimsy and the clear plastic lid separates from the base sometimes, which resulted in the damage that you can see in the picture below. But the main issue is the quality of the shadows. The purple lacks pigmentation while the gold looks uneven when applied.

 

 

 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple: I have several other colors from this line and they all work well, however, this particular one lacks the color intensity and looks patchy on application.

 

 

 

So, these are the few eyeshadows that did not work for me. I will share the face products I regret buying in an upcoming post. Also, you can click on the "regrets" in the labels below to check out my past makeup, hair and skincare regrets.

 

Have you used any of these products? Did they work for you? Do you have any tips?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Have a great day!

Review & Swatches: Fleur De Force Eyeshadow Quad in Lunar Rose

The infamous you tuber Fleur De Force recently came out with her own makeup line, which is available exclusively on feelunique. In her collection, along with lip glosses and lashes, she has two eye shadow quads, Cosmic Bronze (neutral brown shades) and Lunar Rose (pink shades). I picked up Lunar Rose because I already have tons of browns and I am currently kind of obsessed with pink shadows. I paid $12.38 CAD for it.

 

 

Packaging: Nice sleek compact packaging; comes with a tiny brush instead of the sponge tip applicator, which does not really matter to me because I don't use either of them.

 

 

Shade 1: Completely matte pale pink shade. This is the only matte shadow in the quad, it has nice texture and pigmentation. It is creamy and soft with barely any fallout.

 

Shade 2: Shimmery pink shade that has some taupe in it. Again, very smooth, creamy and pigmented shadow that works really well as all over the lid shade. It is not overly shimmery by any means, the smoothness of the shadow makes it a cross between satin and shimmer. This was the shade that inspired me to buy this quad because it looked kind of rose gold in some swatches but its actually a lot more pink. Nonetheless, I still like it.

 

Natural Light

 

 Shade 3: Cream shade with satin finish. This is not a straight up plain cream shadow but has some dimension to it, which makes it really pretty.

 

Shade 4: Matte dark burgundy shade with multicolor glitter specks. Even though this is supposedly the darkest shade of the quadbut it has the weakest color payoff. It barely shows up with one swipe. The swatch in the pictures took a while to build up. So, it may be an issue for some but I personally do not mind it because I never wear dark shades.

 

Indoors

 

Also, as I mentioned earlier, I am not sure why but all the swatches that I searched for before buying the quad, looked somewhat different, and I am talking about the swatches not the actual quad. So I am not sure if something is changed or it was just the lighting and how the pictures were taken.

 

Indoor with Lights On

 So, overall I liked the quad. Also I would like to add that even though $12.38 seems a little pricey for a brand that is marketed as drugstore but we need to keep in mind that it is released in the European market for £7.99, which is the perfect price range but it is the currency conversion that makes it appear a little expensive.

 

Have you tried Fleur de Force makeup line? What are you thoughts?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

 

 

 



November 2015: Ipsy Bag

This month my ipsy bag arrived really late. Usually it is here in the second week but this time I got it almost at the end of the month. But anyways, for $20.21 CAD I received five products: Coolway Strong Hold Spray, Inspr Eyeshadow, Model Co Highlighting Trio, Trestique Lip Crayon and Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara.

 

Coolway Strong Hold Hair Spray: I personally did not feel that there is anything special to this spray. It holds well but so do my tressame tres two, which retails for under $5 CAD while coolway retails for $19.95 US.  



Inspr Eyeshadow in Carnival



Inspr Eyeshadow in Carnival: When I saw it online I didn't think I will like it but it is my favorite product from the bag. It is a beautiful shimmery taupe that has the slightest pinkish tint to it, which unfortunately is not showing up in the picture. The formula is very smooth and creamy so barely any fallout. I would definitely check out more shades.

 



Champagne, Peach Bellini & Bronze

 

Model Co Highlighting Trio in Champagne, Peach Bellini & Bronze: This is a cream product with somewhat thick consistency. It looks beautiful in the swatches but I find it to be very heavy and difficult to blend on the cheeks. So I would not recommend it.  



Trestique Matte Lip Crayon in Chile Red

 Trestique Mini Matte Lip Crayon in Chile Red: I am really into matte products these days but this lip crayon was quite disappointing. Even though it is in stick form, the formula feels very slick and watery. I am not sure how to explain that but its just weird. Also, it is quite sheer and it took me numerous strokes back and forth to build up the swatch in the picture. Therefore, I will not recommend it.

 

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara: This is the only product that I have not tried yet so can't really say anything about it except that it has a huge brush.

 

Overall, this month's bag was kind of blah for me except the Inspr eye shadow. What did you get in your  bag? And what was your favorite product?

 

Thank you for taking time to read this post. Hope you have a great day!

Smashbox Photo Op Shadow Palette: Soft Box II

Few days ago, I went to Sephora and was amazed at the wide range of sale item as it is quite rare in my area. One thing that instantly caught my eye was Smashbox Soft Box palette. This palette usually retails for $44 but was on sale for only $23. There are three similar palettes in the regular line, however, I believe this was a limited edition one. I always wanted to try Smashbox's infamous photo op formula but never did, so, this time I had to pick it up because both the colors and the price were appropriate. 

Packaging: The box is classic black with raised shiny imprint on it. It is quite compact and sturdy. However, it is one of those kinds that easily get dirty and show every single touch mark on them, so quite a let down. 

Layout: There are six shadows laid out in two rows along with a decent quality brush. However, where one side of the brush is flat shader, I don't know why the other side is such a tiny precision or a smudger instead of the usual blending brush. The only issue I have with the layout is that the names of individual shadows are printed on a loose clear plastic sheet, which is a hassle to keep in place.

Color Selection: There are three matte and three shimmery shades. One half of the colors belong to coppery brown family while the other half belong to purply taupe's. However, all the colors are great to put together a neutral eye look. 

Russet, Truffle, Bare, Juniper, Sandstorm, Sumatra

Texture & Pigmentation: All the colors are very soft and creamy on touch. Some of them are more pigmented than others. Truffle, Juniper and Sumatra show up way more subtle than they are in the pan.  

Russet, Truffle, Bare, Juniper, Sandstorm, Sumatra

Russet: A beautiful shimmery coppery brown. 

Truffle: A cool toned grayish taupe.

Bare: A very light nude pink.

Juniper: A muted purple with golden shimmer. 

Sandstorm: A true shimmery champagne gold. 

Sumatra: A cool toned medium chocolate brown. 

Overall, I really like this palette, especially at the price I got it for. The shadows are not overly intense but really good for everyday looks. Also, I like the mishmash of cool and warm toned shadows in one palette. As I said earlier, I have picked it up just a few days ago and there were at least thirty more palettes on the shelf that day so most probably you can still find it at Sephora stores near you. 

Do you own this or any other versions of this palette? If yes, which one? And do you like it?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

December 2013: Ipsy Bag

I finally received my Ipsy Bag in the mail yesterday. All the products are centered around the celebration theme. Everything came in a black patent leather bag, which is quite nice and chic. 

I kind of liked this months bag for the most part except one product i.e. the bombshell stick. 

Pop Beauty Eye Shadow Trio in Naturally Bare: I am glad that I got this neutral trio instead of the smokey one. I am not a huge fan of the giant floral design on the compact. Actually, I find the Pop Beauty packaging quite gaudy in general and this trio isn't any exception. All three colors are shimmery and have decent pigmentation. However, the darkest shade is disappointing because it took several swipes to build up the swatch. Since I have it so I'll use it but these days even drugstore eye shadows have raised their bar so I have no desire to repurchase or to try other versions of this line.However, it is a full sized trio so I am glad I got to try it. 

NYX Lipstick in B52: I love NYX lip products and own several lipstick shades from this line. I always wanted to get this shade so I am glad I got it in this bag. It is a beautiful deep mauve shade that is very smooth and creamy. 

Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush: This has to be the worst product out of all this month. It goes on very unevenly and feels somewhat crumbly. It is packed with lots of gold glitter and the color blends into nothing leaving specks of glitter all over the place. Usually, I try to utilize everything I have but this is something that will go straight in the trash. 

Nicka K New York Nail Polish: This has to be one of the most beautiful nail polish bottle I own that deserves to sit on the vanity. The polish itself is a gorgeous deep red shade but has very strong pungent smell like those of cheap polishes. Also, unfortunately it doesn't have a name on it. Nonetheless, I am glad I got it because I absolutely love the bottle and the coppery bronze lid. 

Demeter Snow Roll On Perfume Oil: Firstly, I am really happy that it is an actual usable roll on tube rather than the tiny sample. Secondly, I really like the soft scent. I know it may sound odd but the scent makes me feel somewhat nostalgic, it takes me a few years back but I don't clearly remember when and where? I have been continuously sniffing it so that I can recall something and calm down my curiosity but it is not helping :(. 

Overall, I really liked this bag for the size and variety of products. The only thing that is not even worth trying is the Be a Bombshell stick, other than that, I feel everything else is usable. 

Are you a subscriber? What did you get this month?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes

I recently picked up Laura Mercier Artist's palette for eyes from Sephora. It is a limited edition holiday palette which may get sold out soon because of the VIB sale. When I first looked at it, I thought this is another neutral palette similar to Naked or Lorac,  however, it is not. UD Naked has somewhat goldeny bronze shadows, Naked 2 has cool toned taupes & greys, Lorac Pro has a lot of reddish coppery tones along with some mauves while this Laura Mercier palette has purple and plum shadows along with a decent number of neutrals.  

Packaging: I really love the soft cushiony faux leather feel with the magnetic closure, which makes the palette look like a clutch. Also, I like the fact that it is very sleek and doesn't have an extra slot for a brush or primer.

The internal layout and the material of the compact is really good. Also, all the colors are labelled with cool names, which is always a plus. In addition, half of the shadows are matte. 

Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Plum Smoke, KR Royal, Violet Ink

Consistency & Texture:  Some shadows are better than others in terms of the smoothness and texture. No doubt, all of them are soft and pigmented, but I found that Guava and African Violet have a lot of fall out, which could be fixed with slight tap of the brush before application. But matte shadows are the best  in all domains.

Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco, Bamboo, Truffle, Espresso Bean

Longevity: The shadows stay on really well with minimal fading at the end of the day. However, I always use a primer underneath for more vibrancy and longevity. 

Price: The palette retails for $60 and each shadow is 0.03 oz (x 12) compared to the full size 0.09 oz that retails for $28 each. 

Overall, I really love this palette because I am all about neutrals and palette takes them up a notch. Some of my favorite shades from this palette are: African Violet, Plum Smoke, KR Royal, Bamboo and Truffle. I especially love Truffle because I own a lot of browns but none like this. It is a true coffee brown shade which is great for crease and even an all over color for dark smokey look. 

If you are interested in this palette, pick it up now with 20% VIB discount before it gets sold out. 

Have you tried this palette? What are your favorite shades?

Thank you for taking time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Have a great day!