Month: March 2020

Macy’s Beauty Box March 2020 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4

Macy’s Beauty Box

Cost: $15

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month you will get a bag, a $5 off coupon (sometimes $10), 5 deluxe samples and 1 bonus sample. Why not just say 6? I don’t get it. Lately we have been getting between 6 and 8 items per month you never really know how many things you are going to get.

All the brands will be brands you can find in Macy’s which is cool since they sell Mac and a lot of other brands that are never to rarely seen in subscription boxes.

The cool thing about the coupon is that it is good in stores and online also Macy’s does have sales and $5 products so if you are strategic you can score a free product every month. Depending on your state you may still have to pay tax but it is still basically free.

So I wasn’t charged and didn’t get a box last month no real idea why but back to getting them I suppose not really sure what happened there. Boy is there an interesting assortment of items this month. Also unlike normal there is barely any skincare. What an odd thing for Macy’s.

Beauty by Popsugar Be Racy Liquid Velvet Lip in Berry Nice

Full Size: 0.12 oz

Full Size Cost: $24

Sample Size: 0.085 oz

Value: $17

I have a lot of moral issues with this brand and I want to start off with that because I feel it is really important and I don’t feel like this brand is above board. Starting with the smaller issue first their packaging is so deceptive. This is more than half the amount in the full size and this tube is about 1 inch tall. Their packaging for their products is big and makes it look like you are getting alot of product when you really aren’t. Granted that can be a personal problem because as consumers we should be reading the listed amounts so we know what we are paying for. The larger issue here is and i have seen this first hand because of where I work. Their products with SPF obviously expire, and they would have vendors come in and put labels over the expired expiration dates with new non expired dates. What the actual fuck. Now my managers at least are good people and we would take those products off the shelf because they are expired but what about all the places where they didn’t? I would never suggest anyone buy anything from this brand because that is shady as hell and potential dangerous to some one who thinks they are getting an SPF protection but it is actually expired and not giving them protection.

This is a very red toned berry and it is patchy. Swatched Below.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess

Full Size: 9 g

Full Size Cost: $30

Sample Size: 1 g

Value: $3.33

I don’t love this bronzer. It is very shimmery and very light. I will probably just use this up when I do other peoples makeup and need a bronzer for more fair toned people. This really is nothing that impressive or special. Swatched Below.

Urban Decay Stay Naked Vice Lip Chemistry in 21

Full Size: 4 ml

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 0.4 ml

Value: $2.20

I have a full size of this in a different shade and I don’t love them. I hate how finger prints get all over the packaging. It is also really uneven when you apply it it stains different parts of your lips different colors and it tastes weirdly chemically. This shade is a much prettier red shade then the shade I have I will give it that. Swatched Below.

Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara

Full Size: 10 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 2 ml

Value: $5

I don’t love Lancome mascara they sorta feel heavy and make my eyes a bit itchy but this is a really big volumizing mascara.

Tony Moly Peach Punch Cleansing Tissue

Full Size: 30 wipes

Full Size Cost: $7

Sample Size: 8 Wipes

Value: $1.87

I am always happy to have a new travel pack of wipes. I don’t love the cleanser from this range it is a bit stripping but it smells nice. I anticipate these wipes to be the same.

Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Garden

Full Size: 75 ml

Full Size Cost: $122

Sample Size: 1.5 ml

Value: $2.44

Way to heavy of a floral scent for me. If you like florals this one is for you.

Calvin Klein CK Everyone

Full Size: 97.6

Full Size Cost: $67

Sample Size: 1.2 ml

Value: $0.82

This is a unisex cologne but it reminds me just a bit to much of Aqua di Gio to want to wear it myself. It smells really nice though.

Twelvenyc Makeup Must Have Set

Eyelash Curler

Full Size: Yes

Full Size Cost: $1

Reusable Makeup Remover Cloths

Full Size: 6 rounds

Full Size Cost: $8.29

Sample Size: 3 Cloths

Value: $4.15

So this little set is was made for this box by TwelveNYC which private labels alot of beauty tools and promo items for all sorts of brands like Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, Make Up For Ever, etc. So this doesn’t have a listed value, it wasn’t even included on the card so I just estimated.

The eyelash curler feels exactly the same as the one I bought at the Dollar Tree so there’s that. The cloths feel exactly like my Makeup Eraser, they are super soft and I will happily use them to take off eye makeup.

Total Value: $37.81

Skincare: 1

Makeup: 4

Tools: 2

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 2

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 3

Sample: 5

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

My Makeup Habits Tag

nightmareb4

I saw Beautbean’s video on her Makeup Habits and I thought it was such a good idea. I love her makeup style so I thought it would be a cute one to replicate here since alot of tags don’t really make sense written on a blog but this one does.

It is a 13 question tag and that is my favorite number so it was clearly meant to be.

1. How often do you wear a full face of makeup? (foundation, eye shadow, contour… THE WORKS)

  • Rarely only if its an event where I’ll be taking alot of pictures. I avoid foundation alot of them break me out, I feel like my skin really doesn’t need it on a daily basis. I mostly do a fun eye a highlighter and a lip and call it a day.

2. Is your everyday makeup look more neutral or more colorful?

  • Colorful for sure. I never do a neutral eye I feel like they look so boring and blend in too much.

3. How long does it take you do do your go to makeup look?

  • I don’t have a “go-to” look I always do something different but the standard amount of makeup I would put on is like 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Do you apply your foundation before or after you’ve done your eye shadow?

  • Always after I don’t understand how people can do it before I can be so messy with my eyeshadow it would be twice as much work!

5. What are some “bad” makeup habits you have that you can’t stop doing?

There are probably so many that I don’t even know I am making but I have a few that I know people think are bad but I love and will continue to do always.

  • Black eyeliner even if I am not wearing other makeup.
  • A stripe of intense or colored highlighter it’s just so fun sometimes!
  • Forgetting mascara (so often!)
  • Bold eye & Bold Lip on the same look

6. Do you use beauty influencer techniques or your own techniques to apply your makeup?

  • Not really I can’t think of any Youtuber tricks or anything that I use except maybe using tape for my eyeliner but I feel like that is such an old trick I don’t know if it counts?

7. What is the one step in your makeup routine that takes the longest to complete?

  • Definitely eyeshadow. It is the thing I enjoy the most and the thing I like to take my time and enjoy and have fun doing.

8. What is one step in your makeup routine that you’re okay with skipping? What is one step in your makeup routine you will never skip?

  • Well I mean there’s most steps I am ok with skipping since I don;t really do the whole base routine most days but if I only count the steps I do. I would say bronzer/contour or eyebrows maybe. Or lips I could skip lips.
  • I never skip eyeliner never. It is like the staple element of my whole being.

9. What type of makeup looks are out of your comfort zone?

  • Neutral eye looks
  • “No Makeup” Makeup, I’d rather just wear no makeup
  • That very tanned/bronze JLo glow type of look

10. Do you wear matte liquid lipstick, cream lipstick, gloss, or a mixture?

  • I am a matte liquid lip girl all the way. I switch it up and will use a matte or cream bullet lipstick but I prefer matte lips that I don’t need to baby sit all day. I DETEST gloss so much it is stick and messy and I don’t love the shiny lip look.

11. If you could only wear one shade of lipstick for the rest of your life what would it be?

  • Omg this is so hard! I love so many lip shades I love a good red lip I wear black lips with so many of my looks but sometimes I need a neutral lip or a nice berry in the fall. Don’t make me choose! 🙁
  • If it was gun to my head situation I would probably have to say black since in my mind it is both neutral and bold goes with everything I wear.

12. Do you highlight and contour your face?

  • Even though I don’t wear foundation I almost always highlight and I usually contour lightly for definition I like how it looks and it makes me feel more confident.

13. What is the one step in your makeup routine that makes you feel the most complete?

  • BLACK EYELINER I think I said this like 50 times already I just am addicted. It feeds my emo/rock soul. It has been a part of my routine forever and it just makes me happy. That and any/all eyeliners in general I just love them.

So that was my first tag ever it was really fun! Don’t be too hard on me!

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Ipsy March 2020 Subscription Box Review

nightmareb4
Ipsy Bag

Cost: $12 monthly, $132 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 300 points and 1000 points. You can get around 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.

You can now customize your bag and pick out one sample per month that will get to be in your bag which is a pretty nice change even though it came with a price increase.

This was a big “celebration” month in honor of the 100th Ipsy bag. So everyone got 6 items as well as a deal on Add-Ons. Add-ons usually start at $3 dollars but we got a 42 off discount on add-ons so for the first time ever I did get an add-on for an additional $1.07 which I’ll talk about later in this post. Other then that which pretty much saved the month for me it was a pretty meh bag.

Caolion Blackhead O2 Bubble Pore Pack

Full Size: 50 g

Full Size Cost: $14.49

Sample Size: 15 g

Value: $4.35

I don’t love these bubbling masks I feel like they are alot of gimmick, but they are super fun so I will use it.

Girlactik Precise Eyeliner Marker

Full Size: 1.2 ml

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 1.2 ml

Value: $20

I have gotten this before I can’t remember if it was from Ipsy or from Macy’s it is a fine liner nothing that amazing nothing that terrible. I have alot of open liners so I am not opening this just to swatch it we all know what a black liquid liner looks like.

Honey Jarret Clean Whip Cleanser

Full Size: 100 g

Full Size Cost: $18

Sample Size: 30 g

Value: $5.40

I have never heard of this brand but it seems pretty affordable. This is supposed to be really cleansing and get all the dirt and makeup out of your pores so I am wondering if it is going to also be really stripping.

Grace & Stella Lavender Lotion

Full Size: 473 ml

Full Size Cost: $15

Sample Size: 30 ml

Value: $0.95

I don’t love this it isn’t the sweet lavender scent that I prefer. It is also really greasy I am not the biggest fan.

Wander Beauty Wandress Eyeshadow in Blossom

Full Size: 6 shades x 1.6 g Each

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 1.4 g

Value: $3.65

This to me looks like and feels like a highlighter it is a pretty pink shifting gold shade very shimmery but not a ton of base color. The whole palette it comes in also sorta looks like a highlighter palette to me and that is how I plan to use this up. It is really pretty and smooth though I don’t hate it.

Complex Culture All Over Shadow Brush

Full Size: Yes

Full Size Cost: $18

I love these brushes they are so high quality so soft they blend beautifully. I just love them this is the third I think I have gotten from Ipsy. One was also part of the add-ons so I got the precision eyelid as an add-on for a dollar and am super happy to have these two brushes. They are so so nice. I love them.

Not my favorite month but the two brushes have me super super happy.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $52.35

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 2

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 1

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 2

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 4

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup