Month: March 2018

Ipsy March 2018 Subscription Box Review

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Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate I don’t make any money or anything it’s just one beauty junkie to another.

So this is my 100th post I feel like that is really monumental I am super proud of myself! I don’t know if anyone has actually read all my posts probably not but I thank you for being here.

As you can see I have changed up the design on this blog quite a bit I am still tweaking it and trying to get it perfect but I’d love to know your thoughts on it.

So this month’s bag came with markers so that you can color it. I colored it in a little just so you can. This is one of the nicer quality bags they have sent out and it is a bit bigger then than the normal bags they send. Unfortunately for I won’t use this because faces without eyes weird me out and I don’t like looking at them.

Too Faced Sex Kitten Eyeliner

Full Size: 0.2 g

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 0.1 g

Value: $10

This isn’t smudgey which is key for me but it is supposed to be triple black pigment whatever the fuck that means and I found this to not be super black at all. The packaging reminds me of old school Too Faced packaging from like mid 2000s which is super nostalgic to my formative years of buying makeup. Swatched Below.

City Color Glow Duo Cream and Powder Highlight

Full Size: Cream: 7 g Powder: 8.8 g

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Sample Size: Cream: 2.6 g Powder: 3.2 g

Value: $2.20

Another City Color mini palette thing I had really bad luck with the one they sent in January ago. I just could not get it to work and ended up throwing it away when I was on vacation because it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t really give a used crappy product away to someone I just couldn’t do that. Again this is not full size it is just under half but it feels full size ad I like this packaging better than the full size packaging just very odd. For that price point I feel like they should have sent the full size. This is a highlighting palette that has a cream side and a powder side. The powder is super dark and the cream is super fair so this is like a palette that only half is going to work for an given person. Which is a strange set up The consistency on these seems a lot nicer so we shall see how I get these to work or if they are just as bad as the contour palette. Swatched Below.

Hikari Cosmetics Cream Pigment in Envy

Full Size: 4 g

Full Size Cost: $13

Sample Size: 2 g

Value: $6.50

 

 

So this is cool it a pressed cream pigment kind of like those L’oreal Infallible ones. I like the texture but you have to be careful because it can chunk up and ball up if you aren’t careful you have to build it thinly and not dig in the pan. In this packaging I think it is going to dry out pretty fast things like this need to be in a jar with a screw top usually. This is a really pretty shimmery green. I love the texture of these type of eyeshadows so this will definitely get used. These are perfect for a quick five minute out the door look. Swatched Below.

With Flash:

No Flash:

Glossier Balm Dotcom in Mint

Full Size: 15 ml

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $5.60

This is the thing I was most excited about I have been dying to try this for so long that when I saw this was an option this month I was so hoping I would get it and I did; for once I lucked out. This is super minty to start with you can smell it and taste it and feel the cooling mintyness on your lips. It is a thick slightly sticky balm but in a good way it feels great on the lips and rubbed in to the skin. Now that I know how much I like it I will probably buy up more of these. It is technically a skin salve and it does feel really good and balmy rubbed in to the skin.

Goldfaden MD Solution Facial Detox

Full Size:  50 ml

Full Size Cost: $65

Sample Size: 20 ml

Value: $26

This came when my skin was breaking out pretty bad and this mask did seem to help aclear out a lot of the congestion in my skin and helped draw out the breakouts that were coming up and heal the ones that were already there. So I am a fan of this. I am not a fan of the price, but this is a pretty high value sample for Ipsy.

I am really happy with this months bag I got all things in my wheel house I love 3 of my 5 items and one is $26 dollars so that is more than worth it to me this is the month to beat this year for Ipsy. Oh and checking back in with the leaky lipstick from last month I contacted Ipsy and they sent me a new one no problem that wasn’t leaking so that was great.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $50.30

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 4

Sample: 1

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Sephora Play! 2017 Year in Review

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Sephora Play!

Cost: $10.00 monthly + tax

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month our favorite money sucking store Sephora sends out a curated box of higher end samples to try out.  Every month you receive 5 samples and a perfume sample.  The boxes are customized with a few different variations being sent out each month.

There is a small survey that Sephora has you take that helps Sephora curate a box to your needs. There is also a card included in the box for a complimentary mini makeover (which are complimentary any way so I don’t really get that) and 50 extra points if you purchase something in store.

I had fun with the Ipsy review I did so I decided to do Sephora Play as well. My other subscriptions I haven’t had for a whole calendar year so I can’t really do them. So let’s see how Sephora did for the year and find out how they did compared to Ipsy.

Month Value Product
January $31.36 6
February $39.42 6
March $32.47 6
April $36.91 6
May $54.46 6
June $31.64 6
July $39.48 6
August $45.37 6
September $36.79 7
October $40.36 6
November $59.55 6
December $46.84 6

Total: $494.65

Products: 73

Every Month but one I got 6 products so I did get more products then Ipsy overall but 11 of those were perfumes so that’s with a grain of salt some people don’t like the perfume samples I’m ok with them in this box.

I paid $1.64 per item I received so actually a little less per item then Ipsy and getting higher end products, but these are all sample sizes and usually you get some full sizes with Ipsy so they are still pretty equal in my mind.

Average Bag Value: $41.22

Coming about $6 under the average value of Ipsy.

Top 5 Favorite Items

  1.  March – Glam Glow Glowstarter  in Nude Glow – $6.86
  2. April – Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover – $1.88
  3. October – Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation – $6.81
  4. January – Tarte Frxxxtion Stick – $4.84
  5. August – Korres Golden Krocus Ageless Elixir Serum – $13.07

So my Top Five comes to a grand total of $33.46. Wow that was a really low value I have some serious mixed feelings…

My thing here is dollar wise I seem to get alot more for my money with Ipsy so if that is your main concern just getting the biggest return on your money Ipsy is the way to go hands down.

Me personally though I get more use out of my Sephora Play products. I use them up more often I declutter or give away much less of what I get in my Sephora box and generally like and use more of what I get. Even if I seem to be getting less for my money I am still getting a great value.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

What’s In My Trash? February 2018

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So time to pack it in for February hopefully that means the cold ass miserable weather packs it in too. I am ready for the warmth I hate the cold.

Once again I was doing some travel so there are separate pictures of those empties. I used up a solid amount this month I am well on my way to using up an item a day or maybe more.

I used up a ton of makeup this month which I am really proud of.

Declutter (26)

City Color Contour Palette I just got this in my Ipsy bag and it is now out the door the highlight is chunky and just looks like heavy translucent powder on the skin they bronzer is orange. The contour is a nice shade but does not blend at all it just goes on and that’s it.

 

Crown Glam Metals Eyeshadow palette this is just to inconsistent and too hard to work with I ended up depotting Rebel the shade I did like it’s a nice creamy shimmery gold copper and I’m just pitching the rest.

 

3 Urban Decay shadows that came out of a little travel palette that like had all these drawers it was cool and little and compact it had a tiny eyeliner, brush, mascara and these little eyeshadows and a little instruction book.  I have had these for like 13 years at least there are some massive chunks used up from them but I just don’t use these colors any more so I am finally letting them go.

 

Victoria Secret Pink Wild Berry and Honeysuckle Shimmer Powder I never use this anymore I barely used it when I bought like 8 years ago I didn’t even realize I still had it and it needs to go. It does smell good but the shimmer dispensing brush never worked that well it came out with so much powder at a time and you couldn’t blend without more powder coming out.

 

Real Techniques brush case I just don’t like cases like this that make the easel stand and aren’t closed all the way around.

 

14 assorted brushes that are either old, broken or just not something I use. I have in here a MAC brush from a gift set so scratchy. A Luxie travel duo fiber brush that is just flimsy and useless to me. Some BH Cosmetics brushes that are just not types I use. Some Ulta ones and some non-name brand ones.

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company Lip and Cheek stain in XOXO this has no pigment and I don’t like potted lip products.

 

Skinn Sugar Lips Lip scrub I tried for way to long with this product it smells great but tastes like poison and burns my lips I have so may nicer scrubs that I don’t know why I kept trying to make this work for me. Probably because it was my first lip scrub.

 

Ulta Sharpener this is just old and broken now.

 

Medusa’s Makeup Stick It eye primer this was a mess it was so oily and never dried down and made my eyeshadow crease so badly and was so sticky and heavy on the eyes.

 

Mellow Precision Pen Eyeliner this is no precision it is patchy and bleeds and no thank you.

Perfume (5)

Tory Burch Simply Belle perfume this was fine. I usually like Tory Burch perfumes.

Repurchase: No

 

Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine I love their citrus perfumes they are so expensive though.

Repurchase: Maybe

 

Twisted Wonderland Perfumery Happy Hellidays perfume I wasn’t super into this it was a meh scent that just didn’t last on me.

Repurchase: No

 

Dior J’adore sample card this was ok ish it’s a card I can’t really judge much by it it is just something I slap on quick before like running to the gas station or whatever because I have so many and am trying to use them up.

Repurchase: No

 

Victoria Secret Pink Wild Berry and Honeysuckle Body Mist I used this as a perfume for a long time but it just didn’t last long enough and I really wanted to use it up so I like to use body mists as rom sprays since I am so pick with my perfumes and they don’t always smell as nice on me as they did in the bottle.

Repurchase: No

Makeup (6)

Tarte Tarteist Mascara I talked about this last month when I decluttered one to my mom and this tube I just finished up.  I liked this it is a good mascara and I recommend it. It just isn’t my favorite type of mascara. It is a very wet formula and I prefer a dry formula but this gives that very long clumpy dramatic look to your lashes. It is a good mascara I just prefer fluffy full natural looking lashes more.

Repurchase: Only a mini for a special occasion or look

 

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper why does everyone like this? I hated it. It was hard to use I feel like it wasn’t smooth or nice looking like it didn’t go over shadow well and was hard to wing out for me. I have wet and wild eyeliner I love for like $2 and this is so expensive.

Repurchase: No

 

Too Faced Hangover Rx Setting spray I really liked this it felt light on my face and not sticky or heavy. It doesn’t hold on to makeup as long as UD’s All Nighter does but it is good for everyday use.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick Sample in Rapture I didn’t like the formula on this at all it is like a thick opaque lipstick gloss so it is sticky and not for me.  The color was nice but not as nice as Backtalk which is my favorite in the line.

Repurchase: No

 

I used up two Clinique Superprimer samples this was a nice primer I liked it a lot one of the better ones I tried I also used it as an eyeshadow primer and it was really great for that too. It is a thick white primer that rubs in and feel kinda like a moisturizer not to sticky not to smooth just very natural feeling primer.

Repurchase: No

Lip Care (3)

Ven Effect Anti-Aging Lip Treatment this burned!

Repurchase: No

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company tinted chapstick this I will really miss it was so such a good sweet flavor/smell ad you could smell and taste it the whole time I was wearing it and gave a really youthful pretty pink tint to the lips.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Balm I really like this but I go through it way too fast for the price and it doesn’t feel super different then Carmex other than this having a better flavor.

Repurchase: No

Skin Care (9)

Bath and Body Works Totally Tea-riffic Sheet Mask this I was expecting to dislike and ended up really enjoying. I love tea tree for my face so I should have known.  This was exactly what my skin needed after flying since it has tea tree and is moisturizing it fixed both the break outs and the dryness that I get when I fly.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Simple Cleansing Wipes these are not good they don’t do enough to take my makeup off.

Repurchase: No

 

Skin Fix Facial Cleansing wipes I’m over these they aren’t the best or the worst they just don’t impress me.

Repurchase: No

 

Yes to Cucumbers facial wipes these are eh not horrid not great.

Repurchase: No

 

Dr. Brandt Pore Dermabrasion exfoliator got this in a boxy charm a few months back. I do like this exfoliator my face feels clean and nice after but I didn’t see and spectacular long term effects that would make it worth the high price tag. I much prefer the more inexpensive derma-e one to be honest. I mean I’ll always happily use samples of this but I won’t buy it.

Repurchase: No

 

Skyn Iceland Blemish Dots these are those dots you put on pimples to help draw them out and heal them. These didn’t work for my skin at all. I was disappointed they sounded really good with the willow bark and salicylic acid but they just didn’t work for me. I love the Peter Thomas Roth ones and have gotten some more.

Repurchase: No

 

Sunday Riley Saturn Sulfur Acne Treatment Mask this really didn’t do much to help calm my breakouts my Tea Tree one from the Body Shop is so much better.

Repurchase: No

 

Ever Reveal Biometric Peel Pads go these using Ipsy Points and super regret it these did nothing for my skin ther were supposed to make it firmer and brighter and these were just a mess in crappy packaging.

Repurchase: No

 

Clinique Turnaround overnight Radiance Moisturizer this wasn’t special and didn’t do anything to for me.

Repurchase: No

Body Care (5)

Nivea Cherry Blossom Lotion this was fine but I have plenty of lotion you really have to wow me in the lotion department to make it into my lotion stash.

Repurchase: No

 

Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion so I don’t like the whole in shower lotion thing it doesn’t work for me just makes me feel slimey but my girlfriend loves it so I let her use it up and it works great for her dry skin.

Repurchase: Not for me but yes for her

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company Shower Oil in Tink omg I loved this and it lasted forever I am so sad it is gone now. This is a spray on oil that I would use after I showered usually after I shaved. It sprayed in a really fine mist and was made me so smooth and moisturized.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Bath and Body Works Shower Gel in Frosted Coconut Snowball this was alright it didn’t have a strong smell unless you used a lot but it did lather a lot with lots of BUBBLES!

Repurchase: No

Tree Hut Moisturizing Shave Oil I really liked this it is more expensive then baby oil and doesn’t last as long so still if you are on a tight budget go with that. This doesn’t kill my razors as fast though and smells much better then baby oil. I also love the pump. I have already repurchased this in the one other scent it comes in and I like that scent better so far.

Repurchase: Yes

Random (7)

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Hair mask still don’t love this I think this is my last sample though so that’s good.

Repurchase: No

 

Venus Waterless Razor THIS IS SUPER COOL. It has gel in it so you can shave without water but just squeezing it out (it does work slightly better with water but you really don’t need it).  This is great for when you have shaved and then realize a hour later you missed one strip of hair. Raise your hand if this happens to you not just me right? It was also useful for travel

Repurchase: Yes

 

Goody Hair Ties I finished a pack and still had the wrapper so I figured I throw them in. I am not too picky with my hair ties they just need to be black and not have the metal.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Degree Men’s Deodorant in Cool Rush this was ok but the Old Spice ones are better. I like Men’s travel deodorant for travel because they are half the price of women’s and I’d rather save the money.

Repurchase: No

 

Fortune Cookie Soap Company Dry Shampoo in Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins hehe loved the name in this so I know this is a hair care item but these powdered dry shampoos don’t work for me but I found on accident (let’s not go into it) that this works great as just like a good fabric freshener like for pillows or carpets or shoes or whatever so that how I used this. So as dry shampoo I hate this and don’t recommend it as a fabric refresher I’d get this again.

Repurchase: Not for its real purpose but for the one I use it for sure

 

Nad’s Cleansing wipes I use these for prewaxing cleaning of my skin this isn’t the best one I have ever tried but it was fine. I don’t buy these they come with kits so I use what I get I don’t buy them.

Repurchase: No

 

Random Beauty Sponge this is ripped so its time to go I don’t remember what this is.

Repurchase: No I have plenty

Home Scents (2)

Bath and Body Works Flipping Awesome Candle (Pumpkin Pecan Waffles) this was delicious and had the most adorable name.

Repurchase: Yes

 

Bath and Body Works ‘Tis the Season Candle this is a very Christmasy candle not my cup of tea I don’t love the more woody cinnamon type of candles. It did pair pretty well with the Christmas cookie candle I used up last month which is how I was able to get through this one.

Repurchase: No

Total This Month: 63

Total: 153

Average per Day: 2.6 products per day

Still going strong with over 2 products used up a day. I am so so proud of myself I am really working at trying to declutter and use stuff up and really having put my mind to it seems to be paying off. It is so statisfying seen the pil of stuff to get rid of at the end of the month. Even if looking at what I still have in my stash can be overwhelming as fuck.

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup