Beauty Wise Wednesday: April Ipsy Bag Review

My May Ipsy bag is about to be sent out tomorrow so I knew it was time to give you guys my final thoughts about my April Ipsy bag...

Product #1: Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal w/Argon oil. .85 fl oz. The full size product is $21.95 for 4.2 oz on Ulta.com. I figure that this sample size is a value of  $4.40.
Coupon Code: Save $5
Product description: Nourishing Styling Treatment. It says that it helps speed up blow drying or to reduce frizz.
Review: I love this product! the smell is so lovely; kind of a sweet and spicy vanilla scent. You need to use very little through your hair and it makes your hair so soft. I did try using it by it's self in my curly hair and it didn't really kill much of the frizz but paired with other hair products it holds up well and doesn't make my hair feel greasy. The only down side I'd say is that it's difficult to get the product out of the bottle because you can't squeeze it but I guess that is to prevent you from using too much at one time. I must say I didn't try this out to see if it reduced blow drying time but I'm willing to bet it works.

Product #2: Be a Bombshell Blush in Sweet Cheeks. This is $16 on the Be a Bombshell website.
Coupon Code: 30% off + Free eye shadow
Product Description: It's a light pink shade with a bit of a shimmer.
Review: I really like this color. It seems very bright in the package but it goes on more mellow and it gives you such a sweet pink glow. Upsetting cause the coupon code expired too quickly so I won't able to take advantage of the free eye shadow. Note for the future: take advantage asap.

Product #3: Two Cosmetics Duo Eyeshadow in Heartache. This is currently on sale on the Two Cosmetics website for $5.75.
Coupon Code: 25% off + free lip gloss
Product description: It is two shades of pink. first is a rosy pink that's matte and the other is a light shimmery pink.
Review: These are still a couple of iffy colors for me. I have used them with a variety of base colors and I still feel a bit paranoid that they are making my eyes look tired. I love the concept of sweet, romantic pink eyes so I will continue to experiment with these. Overall I'm happy to have gotten these so I could have the opportunity to play around with pinks.

Product #4: Miss Professional Nail Sation Nail Lacquer in Love at First Byte. This is $5 in the Miss Professional Nails website
Coupon Code: 20% off
Product Description: It's a bit of a salmony pink.
Review: I wore this color twice this month hoping that it would grow on me. I asked nearly everyone what they thought of the color and the rest reaction I got was that it made my fingers look like they are cold. I just wasn't really attached to the color and I probably won't choose to wear it again. It did make a great gift for my mom.

Overall I'm very happy with this months bag. I truly have not real complaint about my ipsy bags so far. I look forward to next months bag, the teasers they've shown on their Facebook page look pretty exciting!

If you are interested in joining Ipsy let me know and I can send you a referral. Of course this is for selfish reasons... I can get a free eye shadow or bracelet with two referrals! If you don't want a referral I still encourage you to sign up. $10 a month is totally worth all the fun products you get to try out.

Beauty Wise Wednesday:Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer

I ran out my beloved Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Radiant Highlighting Concealer and I thought I would try out something new. It was pretty sad on the one day I was without concealer Mat made a comment that I looked like I had black eyes. I quickly picked up the Maybelline instant age rewind concealer, in the color 215 fair/light, at Walgreen's the next day.

I was drawn to this not because of what I had heard about it like I have in the past (basically because I couldn't remember what other people had recommended) I liked that it had a build in applicator sponge. Of course who wouldn't like age rewind factors. I also played it safe with staying with the same brand of concealer as the Dream Lumi.

It claims to have instant age rewind and dark spot treatment corrector with vitamin C and goji berry. I have to be honest I don't know if I've noticed any instant age rewind but I have noticed that this concealer doesn't settle into the fine lines under my eyes. Well I guess maybe that does have something to do with the age rewind?

 I typically apply the concealer under my eyes, the corners of my nose and chin and then on any blemishes on my face, after I put on my foundation. It's funny because when I was younger I was taught that concealer should go under my foundation but YouTube has taught me differently. After I dab the concealer on with the sponge it comes with I blend it in with my blender sponge (from my previous post) and I find that, that works really well to blend the concealer into my foundation.

(where I typically apply concealer, please ignore my "end of the day" tired face)

Another thing I really enjoy about this concealer is that I don't feel like I have to use very much each day, where as I went through the Dream Lumi pretty quickly. You just twist this concealer a few clicks and it is enough to cover any discolorations you would like to hide.

Overall I think I would use this concealer again but I think I would like to use it in combo with the Dream Lumi simply because I really did enjoy the brightening that it gave to my face. I will be continuing to try a few other concealers before I come to a "must have" choice. The next one I wanna try is Physicians Formula Concealer Rx.

 

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Studio 35 Beauty Blender Sponge

I just learned about these beauty blender sponge not too long ago and I was instantly interested. I haven't become a fan of putting on the foundation with a brush just yet and I always feel gross when I rub in my foundation with my fingers. I first found out about these from a YouTube video (of course) by Glamour Wonderland. She did a review of drug store beauty blenders to see if she could find a dupe for her high end beauty blender.

When I bought the Studio 35 Beauty Blender Sponge, I thought I had gotten the preferred one in her video but I actually got one similar to the one less preferred but still a good dupe. Mine is also a different brand which might make a difference in quality as well it was just slightly more expensive. I paid $6.49 at Walgreen's.

To use the sponge u run it under water and then ring it out. This part took a little getting used to because I wasn't sure just how wet I was suppose to get the sponge. It took me a few times using it to realize that the more water I put onto the sponge the softer it became and the better it would blend our foundation.

After you wet your sponge you dab a bit of your foundation onto your face and then blend it onto your face with little patting motions. I will mention that the first couple of time you the blender sponger it does seem like you need to use more foundation that usual. It might have been just because I hadn't put enough water on it. The pointed edge of the sponge is great for getting around the nose and under the eyes. I typically use the pointed end to blend all over my face and then the flat side I'll go back over to make sure I got it all blended together perfectly. I also love using the flat end to blend in my concealer that I put on after my foundation. 

Overall I really enjoy the Studio 35 Beauty Blender Sponge. I especially enjoy the cool feeling the damp sponge gives in the mornings. I would defiantly recommend this to any of my friends.

Beauty Wise Wednesday: March Ipsy Bag review

It's that time again! Another month and it's time to tell you guys what I thought of the March Ipsy Bag.

First of all the bag. I really loved the pattern! It's a fun nautical theme colored blue and white. I didn't like that it seemed like a weird thin material but maybe that is so it is good to bring to the beach. I will defiantly be using this bag this summer.

Product #1: Juice Beauty Hydrating mist 1 fl oz worth $3.25 (based on the 6.75 oz cost of $22) 20% off coupon code juicebeauty.com Product description: Tone with this refreshing blend of rosehip, ylang ylang, resveratrol grapeseed oil and antioxidant-rich organic juices for a fresh complexion.
My Thoughts: I really enjoy this product. I used it everyday after getting out of the shower before putting on my face lotion. It does have a strong scent but I found it fresh and invigorating in the morning. I felt like it really made a difference in the condition of my skin. It has felt much smoother day to day. Normally my skin would start to feel rough like it needed a good exfoliation by the end of the week buy I think this product really helps with that feeling.

Product #2: Glam Rx Z palette $8.25. This isn't the full palette they sell on the website for $16.50 so I figured that this was approximately half the value. 20% off coupon code http://glamrx.goodsie.com/ Product description: This is a small magnetic palette that holds eye shadows that don't come in their own case (I don't know the technical term for those) It is about 3.5 in by 2.5 in and has a mirror.
My Thoughts: I have been wanting to get on of these because it is so much less expensive to by the inserts for this rather than a full eye shadow or blush. The only real compliant I have is that the Coastal Scents eye shadows we got in the past bag aren't magnetized so I wasn't able to put those in there.

Product #3: LA Fresh Makeup Remover wipes $3.36. They sell these in a box of 48 singles for $19.99 so I figured what 8 are worth. 30% off coupon code Lafreshgroup.com Product description: Instantly dissolves even heavy duty makeup with silky, lite-touch formula.
My Thoughts: These were nice quality wipes, but nothing too exciting. the wipe was soft when at times i might want one with a bit more scrub to it. I also didn't see any improvement on the ability to remove eye make up than any other face wipe. (sorry no picture cause I used all the wipes and threw away the package, it is in the picture on my March open bag blog)

Product #4: Yaby eye shadow, two colors $6.30. I don't know the exact size we got but they look similar to the one's on the web site for $3.15 each. 25% off coupon code yabycosmetics.com Product description: I got "sand dune" a matte tan color and "so vein" a teal greenish color.
My Thoughts: I got two very different shades and their pigmentation was just as varied. "So Vein" was a beautiful teal green color with tons of pigment. A little went a long way. "Sand Dune" on the other hand had very little pigmentation. I would work very hard to get color onto my lids and had very little pay off. This brand might be a bit iffy due to the fact that you don't know how pigmented a color you buy will be, but at the low cost it might be worth a shot for the more colorful eye shadows.

Overall I was happy with the bag even though it didn't blow my socks off. I'm not sure if I would be running to the store to buy any of the products but I enjoyed using them all this month.

Here is a link to my March bag opening blog

Can't wait to get the next bag in a day or two and share it with you guys next week!

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Face wash

Happy Wednesday everyone!!

Silly me, I kept thinking it was Saturday because I had two days off in a row. Today Mat and I both had the day off together so of course we had to make the most of it. I actually was able to sleep in till nearly 8am because Mat got up early and got Sloane up and dressed before I had to wake up! It's so nice to have him home in the mornings. After looking out the window and seeing that it wasn't likely to rain we decided to head to Green Lake in Seattle (our favorite park).

As we were driving there I thought of what I wanted to write my blog about. FACE WASH!! I have used the same face wash for years. I grew up with quite an acne problem and had serious self image issues because of it. While in my need to become more girly and high maintenance I thought I would try out a new face wash. I didn't have much direction but every night at work I noticed a face wash that was on sale and finally one night I bought it.

L'Oreal Youth Code: Youth Regenerating Skincare Foaming Gel Cleanser: This foaming gel cleanser gently exfoliates and removes impurities down to every last trace of eye make up, without over drying. Skin will become luminous, smooth and younger looking with continues use. $3.99 on close out at Safeway.
My Thoughts: I have used it more than several times in several different situations. I have used it in the morning in the shower, at night to remove my make up and at night after using a face wipe to remove my make up. First impression is that it has a strong smell that is pretty floral. I could have dealt with the smell if I hadn't tasted the soap while washing my face. I don't ever remember tasting my face wash before and the flavor of this face wash seemed unavoidable. it just seemed it get into my mouth every time i used it. I also feel like it didn't foam up as well as I hoped it would, I really needed to work the wash into a lather in my hands before I washed my face with it. Finally I didn't notice an youth renewal to my face, however I probably don't really have that many wrinkles to worry about. Now I have sensitive skin and have a history of patches of dry flaky skin in the T-zone so I'm not sure if it was just conscience or what but I did have a flare up on dry skin in my eye brow area while using this face wash. I continued to use it maybe once a week since and haven't had too much problem. Also I still had eye liner/mascara on my face the morning after washing it off.

Clean and Clear: Essentials foaming facial cleanser: Washes away problem-causing dirt, oil and make-up without over drying. $3.95 regular price at Walmart.
My Thoughts: This face wash has a very mild smell that probably is just a typical soap smell. I haven't ever noticed a taste to it during a normal face washing session (of course if you put it directly into your mouth I'm sure it would have a taste.) This has a nice foam that I feel like really helps with lifting the oils off my face. This cleanser also gets my face really clean feeling. I know it is possible that people might think it is too clean and it has been stripped of it's natural oils but I find with my oily-combination skin this kind of squeaky clean is really nice. Again I might be biased but since using this face wash but I really feel like it doesn't over dry my skin and I typically only get dry skin out breaks while using this face wash if I change my face lotion. I will admite this doesn't remove all my eye make up, but I have come at accept that. Maybe one day I will find an eye make up remover I love.

Overall I still favor my old trusty face wash by Clean and Clear. I think the real clincher is the fact that I can taste the L'Oreal face wash while washing my face. I also don't really enjoy the strong floral scent. On the other hand I bought one of my best friends that same face wash at the same time and she said she really enjoys it. She, however, also has the face hydrating system that she bought on clearance for $20 at Target, that might make a difference. I wil note also that while writing this blog post I looked up both face washes on the Walmart web site, just to get the pricing and I saw that the L'Oreal face wash got a much higher rating. Ever face wash and how you like it is a very personal thing so I wouldn't take my opinion at a be all end all.

What face wash do you use? I think it is possible that there is another face wash out there that I will love even more, I just haven't tried it yet. Also what eye make up remover do you use. I think it has become clear that I need to find one I like.

LATE Beauty Wise Wednesday: February Ipsy Bag Review

Hey guys! Sorry this blog post is a day late. I choose to be with a friend who lost her father yesterday over blogging. Also this post will be without pictures due to time.

Here is my review of last months Ipsy bag. Overall I was very happy with the bag and I'm excited to show you what is in this months bag next week!!

 

Product #1: Coastal Scents “In The Spotlight” eye shadow pallet: Single color is .04oz for $1.99 at coastalscents.com. The sample is .07oz so worth about $4 *Product includes: Dark Goldenrod, Sunbeam, Golden Globe and Dark Golden Olive.

Review: Totally loved these eye shadows. They are very pigmented and last a good amount without any primer. I used these colors mixed with my other eye shadows and I just loved them and used them almost daily this month. I defiantly want to purchase.

Product #2: Pixi flawless and poreless primer: 1.01oz is $29.00 on target.com. The sample is .5oz so worth about $15 *Product description: Pore minimizing face primer, oil free, hydrating, hypoallergenic, for all skin types.

Review: I only used this a couple times this month but from what I could tell this was a pretty nice primer. I'm no expert however and I've only used one other primer in my life. I liked that it was light and not greasy. It didn't really have a smell and it did seem to help my make up stay on a bit longer.

Product #3: Pop Beauty mascara in smokey black kapow!!: .21oz 9.99 on dermastore.com.Sample is .17 oz so worth about $5. *No description on the product.

Review: Now I might be a weirdo but I prefer the hard old school brush that came with this mascara compared to the plastic type one's I've been getting in mascara's lately. I did get a bit of raccoon eyes by the end of the day however so I'm thinking I want to change up to waterproof mascara in hopes to avoid flaking.

Product #4: Mica Beauty Ultra Smooth Gel Eyeliners: sample seems to be full size but doesn’t come with the brush. $30 on MICAbeauty.com I'd say the sample is maybe worth $20 without the brush. *This product also doesn't have a description.

Review: LOVED this eye liner! I really like to get a fine line for my daily make up and it was so easy with this eye liner. It was also nice cause I was able to put it on with just one hand (important when I have to hold Sloane while putting on make up) I find with the pencil liners I need to hold my eye still with my other hand. I did leave it open over night one night and it seemed to dry out a little bit but I kinda moved my brush around in it and it came back to life. A YouTuber I follow; Allie, actually put up a tutorial on how to do perfect eyeliner with gel liner. I haven't tried it out yet but I'm excited to!

Product #5: Lash Card: 10 cards are $6.99 on lashcards.com. Sample came with 4 lash cards valuing about $2.80 *Product Description: Ideal for: separating lashes, layering mascara, hard to reach lashes, bottom lashes. Helps prevent: clumping and smudging.

Review: I attempted to used these two separate times. I never quite figured out how to used them. It was just so awkward and unnecessary. I don't know who would use these, it makes doing mascara harder I think.

 

So this is my second Ipsy bag I have gotten and I am so happy with the products I have gotten so far with exception of probably the Lash Cards. I definatly say you guys should sign up if you are wanting to try new beauty products but you don't want to spend an arm and a leg trying stuff.

Here is a link to sign up if your interested.

 

(I am in no way paid to endorse Ipsy. I just think it's a very fun service that I think people don't really know about.)

Beauty Wise Wednesday: January Ipsy Review

It's the beginning of a new month and that means that I get to look forward to getting my next Ipsy bag. I'm pretty excited about this next one. I'm able to see previews from their facebook page and it's all make up. I won't spoil what they are until I write my unveiling of it.

Before I get my new bag, however, I want to share my reviews of the products from my first Ipsy bag in January.

**Product #1: SOHO Crease brush: $8.50 on sohobeauty.com

Review: I was very excited to get a brush in this months bag. I have a minimal collection of brushes so this was a great addition. It is pretty fluffy so it was hard to really get a defined area. I did enjoy using it however and maybe it just takes a bit more getting used to. Not sure if I would buy these brushes again, I want to try some other brands first.

**Product #2: Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play 1.5oz:$10.18 on verbenaproducts.com

Review: I typically don't wear hair spray I actually only tried this once this month. I found that it had a great hold for my entire 8 hour shift at work yet didn't feel too crunchy. Also when I pulled my hair back into a pony tail after it didn't flake or powder. I think I would like to try out some of their other products for sure.

**Product #3: Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange BodyButter 2.5oz: $7 on pacificaperfume.com

Review: I can't say enough great things about this lotion! It has the most amazing, fresh scent! I got so many compliments on the smell throughout the month. It also does a great job at moisturizing. Soaks quickly into the skin and doesn't leave an annoying oily finish that I'm not a fan of. I think I will be using the discount they gave to buy more products. I want to check out their candles for sure, if they smell as great as the lotion they will be amazing.

**Product #4: Nailtini nail lacquer in Frappe: $13 on tinibeauty.com

Review: I really enjoyed this nail polish. It was very smooth going on. I liked the brush, it made it easy to paint my nail in just a few strokes (I have large nail beds and that is important.) I only wore it once this month but when I did it seemed to last a good amount of time without chipping. I think I will for sure be using the discount I got in the Ipsy bag.

**Product #5: Josie Maran %100 pure Argan oil .17oz: .5oz is $14 on sephora.com ~$2.80 for this sample size.

Review: Now this product was a new concept for me. I have always shied away from oils cause I have combination shin. I wanted to try it out as a face moisturiser mostly. I took me a while to figure out the right amount to apply. The oil goes on smoothly and actually doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all. I have dry patches of skin in the T zone and although this product says it is good for all skin types I didn't feel like it helped with the dry skin at all. I started putting on a night moisturizing cream to help with the dry skin. Overall I don't think I would purchase this product. It is pretty pricey and I think I can find other products that do a better job. I'll use the rest of the sample as a cuticle oil.

Overall I was very happy with my first Ipsy Bag! It was so much fun to try things that I wouldn't have tried on my own. I can't wait to get my next bag and share it with all of you!

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch review

Welcome to another Beauty Wise Wednesday! This week I'm going to review a concealer that was recomended to me by a YouTuber: Glamour Wonderland. It was her best of 2012 video and for some reason she really made this concealer sound appealing. It's called Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch in Radiant and you can get it at any drug store for around $7.

I don't typically wear concealer, but I don't usually wear much make up besides a cover girl liquid to solid compact. I have to say I really do like this concealer. I remember when I did wear concealer they were thick and never really felt so natural on my face. Another issue I had with concealer was that I have already have a very red face so I wasn't ever sure where to put the concealer. I always felt like I should just put it all over my face. Again thanks to the magic of YouTube I have gotta tips as to where to put concealer.

So where do I put this concealer? Well this concealer is also a double purpose as a highlighter. I put it first on my under eyes to cover those pesky dark circles under my eyes and while I'm at it I put it into the inner corner of my eyes to brighten my face and make me look a bit more awake. (an important thing for a new mommy like myself) I then put it down the middle of my nose to give it a highlight as well as the side creases of my nose that tend to get bit red this time of year. Also if I'm not feeling like wearing too much eye shadow I will wear this concealer right under my eyebrows as a highlight. Then i finish it up on any blemishes I have on my face, which I seem to have quite a few after giving birth!

So how does this concealer last through the day? I think it does pretty amazing. The dark circles under my eyes are still concealed after an 8 hour shift at work. It also does a great job at concealing my huge red zits that constantly cover my chin these days, which I am very grateful for.

Overall I would 100% recommend this concealer to someone looking for something at a reasonable price, that has a soft finish and lasts all day with good coverage.


**Please forgive my horrible photography, I just took the pictures with my IPhone, I'll be hopefully using a better camera in the future!**

Beauty Wise Wednesday: Nail Polish Review

I want to start experimenting with beauty products but in an affordable way. To keep me motivated I've decided to bring my blog readers along for the ride as I discover new products. **A bit of a disclaimer I am extremely inexperienced with beauty products.** As a teenager I loved doing all my friends make up and hair but as I grew older and started paying for things on my own I discovered how expensive beauty products can be. I got discouraged from trying new things because I would spend the money on a product and then discover I didn't like it and be frustrated that I was out the money. As I move forward in my career and as an adult I realize how important your appearance can be (as shallow as it may sound) so I am going to try and find my own style, while reviewing products on my blog.

My first beauty product review is a simple one. NYC nail polish in 212 Mulberry Street. This is a sparkly nude tone. This nail polish says it claims it will dry in a minute and I have to say it lives up to it's claim. I love that because I have to do my nails between feeding Sloane and with a regular nail polish it would never be dry enough by the time she started getting fussy.

I painted two coats on my nails and then soon after took a shower. Now I will say there was a little bit of marking on my nails from the shower but not nearly as much as a regular polish. I painted a third coat on after my shower and my nails looked flawless. (well as flawless as I can get them) The polish is thin so it will dry quickly and it goes on quite smoothly.  It is a nice light pearl color with just a mild sparkle, which I really like and think would be a great color for any occasion.

The nail polish lasted a week without chipping. I then decided to change my nail color so I'm not sure just how long the polish would last but I'm thinking till it wore off, rather than chipping. The next nail polish I put on wasn't a quick dry and it was a disaster! Sloane of course woke up just as I was getting my nails done. I redid them once she was asleep again, let them dry (or so I thought) and went to bed. When I woke up I had imprints in the polish. Looks like I'll be sticking with the quick dry stuff for now on.

What is your favorite nail polish and why?