Ipsy Glam Bag Unbagging and Review for May 2015

Ipsy is the last subscription post for this month (because stupid Loot Crate didn’t come in time again), which is actually fitting since it’s also my last Glam Bag.

Now I don’t want anyone to think that I cancelled this service because I didn’t like it. On the contrary; I really enjoy Ipsy. But the thing is, I’m not a full-face every-single-day makeup user, so between all the stuff I’ve already gotten from Ipsy, plus that big order I put in with e.l.f., I’m full-up on cosmetics for quite a while. So to save a bit of money I thought I’d put this one aside, at least until I’ve had a chance to work my way through the backlog of stuff I’ve already gotten.

So with that explaination out of the way, why not check out my last Ipsy unbagging video:

Well, we went out with a bang, because I’ve been playing around with some of these items and I’m really enjoying them so far. Let’s go to the breakdown:

Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray from Briogeo: It was good timing for this item because I’d just run out of the conditioner that I keep on hand when I’m working out West, so I threw this little bottle in my luggage and took it out with me. So far I’m loving it. The air is super-dry out here in Northern Alberta, and this super-easy leave-in spray is helping to keep my hair moisturized while I’m working amongst all the dust and dirt. A full-sized bottle of 5.1 oz retails for $25, making my 1 oz sample bottle worth about $5.

24/7 Glide-on Lip Pencil + BONUS Revolution High Color Lip Gloss from Urban Decay: This is the only item I haven’t tried yet, mostly because I’ve been lazy, but I swear I’m going to get to it. The lip pencil comes in a clear color that’s meant to coat your lips and keep color from bleeding, and the two glosses are in very bright, bold colors that should look super-cute. The full-sized pencil is 1.2 g and costs $20, so my 0.8 g pencil is worth about $13. There’s no info on how much of the two glosses is actually included, but since they’re only small samples that will last a use or two, I’m just going to go ahead and add $1 to the cost of the pencil and say the set is worth $14.

Smoothing and Relaxing Patches from Klorane: I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from these patches, but I decided to try a set on last night while I was straightening my hair, and I have to admit that I really like them. I don’t know about “smoothing”, but they’re certainly relaxing. They have this beautiful cool feel to them that was just amazing, especially since I’d just come from a run and a shower. There were lots of discrepancies about the price online, but I was able to find boxes of 7 sets for $21, so we’ll say that my 2 sets would be about $6.

Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF50+ from IT Cosmetics: I haven’t gotten around to trying this one yet either, but I have high hopes because I loved the “Bye Bye Under Eye” from IT so much. They definitely chose the right color for my skin tone, so as soon as I stop being so lazy I’ll defintely give it a go and see what it’s all about. A full 12 ml tube costs $15, so my 4 ml tube would be about $5.

Pretty Eyes automatic eyeliner from Skone Cosmetics: I gave this one a quick test the other night, just to see what it looks like, and woah mama, is it bold. I’m so used to only ever wearing black eyeliner that the very-very-blue definitely caught me off guard, but I think with a nice blue or purple eyeshadow it could look really nice. I’ll give it a better test when I’ve got time to really make my eyes up well. This is a full-sized product, and it retails in at $15.

Total approximate value of bag: $45
Total cost to me: $15

Well, we went out with a bang, because this was one of my highest-value bags from Ipsy, even considering that I used the lowest price I could find online for the Klorane patches. On top of that I really like the three products I’ve tried, and I have high hopes for the other two. I can’t really say much more than I already did, but all in all I’m just very happy with this bag. It makes me a little sad that I decided to cancel Ipsy, but as I said, it just seems like a waste of money until I’m able to actually work my way through some of the giant pile of stuff I’ve ended up with.

So there you have it. My last Ipsy Glam bag was a definite success, and I’ll miss it for sure.

What did you think? Are you a subscriber to Ipsy? What did you get in your May bag? Any items similar to mine? Which one was your favorite? Least favorite? Please share!

Random Favorites of Early 2015

I was considering doing a YouTube video for this, but since I have a hard enough job getting the other videos I do out on time I thought it would be safer to just go ahead and make this a blog post. So without further ado, here are some of my random favorite things of the first part of 2015.

Steeped Tea’s Pop Top Tumbler & Strawberry Fields Tea

In January a friend of mine hosted a “Tea Party”, which is one of those parties where a bunch of people (usually women, let’s be honest) get together and look through a company’s product line. The company in question is Steeped Tea, and since I love me some tea I decided to order a few things. One of the teas I ordered, Strawberry Fields, is my absolute favorite so far. Not only is it made with all-natural ingredients and flavors, but it smells so heavenly that I would be happy to sit with a spoonful of it under my nose all day. Plus, the most important part: it’s delicious. It’s an organic green tea with strawberry and papaya that is smooth and comforting, with just a hint of sweetness. It needs no additives; it tastes absolutely perfect all by itself.

The other super awesome item that I picked up through the party was one of Steeped Tea’s Pop Top Tumblers (in purple, to match my coat, purse, carry-on luggage, etc…I have a problem). I grabbed it because I wanted a travel mug to take out West to work with me, and because the steeping net inside is made of a stiff material it looked like this one would be a lot easier to clean than the last one I had (which was a disaster). What I didn’t realize when I bought it is that this thing is super air-tight. When closed you can shake it around upside-down if you want and nothing will escape. There’s even a little locking mechanism on the cover release so that you can make sure you don’t accidentally pop it open while you’re traveling with it. All this means, of course, that the heat is sealed in. The tumbler is double-walled so you don’t feel a hint of heat when you touch it, and inside your tea is piping hot for hours. I have actually made tea, forgot about it for several hours, and then burned my tongue on it when I finally had a sip. It’s seriously that good, and I’m so glad I picked it up because it has made my 12-hour shifts a hell of a lot more tolerable.

Tibetan Goji Berry Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Serum

Let me first say that I don’t go in for products that make outrageous claims like “anti-aging”. I think that the majority of products that claim to make you look younger, make your wrinkles vanish, or otherwise defy normal biology, are generally just a pack of lies wrapped in clever marketing.

But. I received this item as part of my Fab Fit Fun box for Winter 2014/15, so of course I was going to give it a try. And I have to admit that I’ve fallen in love with it. I don’t know if it necessarily lives up to all its claims, but I have definitely noticed a difference. By dabbing a small amount under my eyes at night I’ve noticed that the skin under my eyes has been tighter, smoother, and significantly less dry. I really suffer from dry skin under my eyes, so this is a pretty nice result. My only problem with this product is the price. The bottle, which only stands about an inch and a half high, retails for $88. Now, I’ve been using it nightly for over a month with no signs of running out, but it would have to last at least four or five months more for me to even consider maybe spending that kind of cash. So, while it is one of my favorite things at the moment, I don’t expect I’ll be buying more of it in the future.

The Dragonball Z Funko Pop figures

My husband and I have finally begun the task of turning our basement into a geek and gamer area, which means that I’ve finally begun opening my Funkos. There are lots of the little guys that I love just to death, but right now I think my absolute favorites are the Dragonball Z crew. I don’t have them all (I missed my chance to get black-haired Goku…booooo…) but the ones that I have make me giggle like a fool every time I look at them. My particular favorite is Vegeta, whose crossed arms and little scouter make him extra-super adorable. I love cute versions of things that have no business being cute.

Physician’s Formula Super BB Powder & Bye Bye Under Eye from IT Cosmetics

I had to combine these two items because I always use them together and I love the effect. The Bye Bye Under Eye I got as a sample in one of my Ipsy Glam Bags. I originally didn’t think that it was the kind of thing I would use, but I gave it a try and I’m so glad I did. I have chronic black circles because the skin under my eyes is very thin, and this product does a great job of minimizing those circles. It doesn’t get rid of them completely (I don’t think that’s even possible), but with only a tiny application I look instantly brighter, healthier, and more awake, and I love that.

The Physician’s Formula Super BB Powder I actually purchased on a whim after seeing how great the Bye Bye worked and noticing that it was on sale at my local drug store. I don’t like a lot of gunk on my face, but I thought I’d try this out as a complement to the Bye Bye, and I wound up loving it. Because of my work in the super-dry Alberta oil sands, I often wind up with dry, red patches on my cheeks and forehead. With a little moisturizer to combat the dryness, the Physician’s Formula does a beautiful job at hiding that redness. The “Light” option matches my skin tone extremely well, it blends very smoothly, and it doesn’t make me look like I’ve got a ton of crap on my face. When I use these two products together I absolutely love how I look, and with just a little lipstick I feel ready to face the day!

Dragonforce

Does this seem way out in left field? It may be just a little bit.

I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, but most people wouldn’t expect Dragonforce to be the kind of band that I would listen to regularly. Most of their songs are extremely loud, fast, cluttered with an abundance of different instruments and sound effects, and their lyrics more often than not sound like they were written for the soundtrack of a 1980’s swords and sorcery movie. And I love it.

I mentioned before that I find their music counter-intuitively relaxing because it’s so complicated that it practically forces my brain to turn off, and that hasn’t changed. I have five of their albums on my phone now and I’ve been rather enjoying how the loud, fast tracks strangely make my anxiety melt away when I’m trapped on a work bus. I’ve even been known to fall asleep while listening to this music on said buses, and believe me when I say that is a big deal.

So that’s it for now! Are you familiar with any of the things I’ve mentioned? What do you think of them? Have I convinced you to try anything new? What are some of your favorite things so far this year? Please share!

Also, a reminder that I am running a contest throughout the month of March. For each comment you post on my blog throughout the month, you will receive one entry toward a draw for a hard-copy of my zombie apocalypse novel, “Nowhere to Hide”! Please note that in order to accept the prize, I will need you to give me a mailing address where I can have the book sent. If the winner drawn did not intend to enter the contest and/or does not want the book, I will draw another name. Please also note that obvious spam/duplicate comments/etc. will not be counted toward an entry…play fair! And good luck! ❤

Ipsy Unbagging and Review for November 2014

It’s my fourth Ipsy Glam Bag, and it’s full of all kinds of new stuff for me to try out! Let’s check out the unbagging video, shall we?

Not too shabby at all, am I right? Let’s check out the breakdown!

SeaRX SkinCare: There were two options that I could have gotten in this Glam Bag, and I got the Birch Sap Moisturizing Lotion. A full bottle of the lotion is 4 oz and goes at a cost of $32, making my 0.3 oz sample worth about $2.50
Bye Bye Under Eye concealer: This interesting product from IT Cosmetics usually comes in a 0.28 fl oz tube for $24. My “travel size” tube is 0.11 fl oz, which makes it worth about $9.50. It seems like a lot for the size of the tube, but I’ve already tried this product out so I can tell you that you only need the tiniest dab for each eye. I used what I thought was a miniscule amount and I actually had to wipe some off, so yeah, the amount is definitely worth the cost.
J. Cat’s Wonder Lip Paint: This is a full-sized product, and goes for about $5 in a variety of colors. I have to admit, though, so far I’m not feeling this product. I only tried it once so far but it was so watery that I couldn’t get it to cover my lips properly. If anyone has any tips on this particular item, please let me know!
Oil of Morocco Hairspray: At first I genuinely thought that this product from Marc Anthony was a full-sized product because it’s actually pretty large, but as it turns out it’s only a fraction of the full-size. The full product is 9 oz for a little under $9, making my 1.5 oz worth just over $1.
Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil: This full-sized eye pencil goes for $17, and as near as I can figure (the website doesn’t say what the physical size is) it is a full size product. Not too shabby, although I have to admit that I’ve been having issues with it crumbling so far. Again, hints? Suggestions? I made a bit of a mess of myself last night when a rather large chunk of it broke off in my eyelashes.
“Girl Meets Glitter” bag: As always, I’m just spitballing that the little handbag is probably worth about $2

Total approximate value of bag: $37
Total cost to me: $15

So, following suit with previous months, the value of the bag is definitely there. I haven’t had a chance yet to give everything in the bag a fair trial, but I’m definitely thinking that the Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is going to be the gem of the bag. You need such a tiny amount that it would last quite a while, and it does a pretty good job of lightening up the dark circles that are perpetually under my eyes. Hopefully I’ll be able to combine that look with the gem eye pencil at some point, if I can keep it from constantly crumbling on me.

All in all, another great bag from Ipsy, and I’m still so glad that I signed up. Thanks Ipsy!