Ipsy September 2017 Subscription Box Review

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.


Well damn Ipsy look at you coming all early for a change. I love when my boxes come early (Side Eye at some other boxes that have been coming late).

For some bizarre reason my computer isn’t letting me edit my pictures from this bag and I’m too busy and tired to fuss with it so sorry.

Had to throw in the adorable new coffee mug I got it came the same day and I am in love its huge and cute and I do like my coffee black like my soul 🙂

I also got 6 products again this month which instantly makes me more excited for my bag.

When I saw previews of this I thought I was going to love it but it actually feels really cheap ad plasticky to me an I do not like it.

Manefit Beauty Planner Sheet Mask in Mugwort Astringent + Pore Care

Full Size: 5 masks

Full Size Cost: $10

Sample Size: 1 mask

Value: $2

This is a sheet mask right up my alley with astringent and pore refining. I am sorta off the sheet mask trend they tend to make me feel cold and I hate feeling cold. But I will try this.

Manefit Beauty Planner Sheet Mask in Lily Whitening + Brightening

Full Size: 5 masks

Full Size Cost: $10

Sample Size: 1 mask

Value: $2

The back of this says it will leave your skin translucent, is that a thing people want? I have never desired to be see through I’m sure it is just a case of bad translation but I got a good laugh out of it. I don’t ever really use whitening sheet masks I just don’t have an attraction to them.

Luxie Brush 207 Medium Angled Shading

Full Size: Yes

Value: $12

I love Luxie brushes and Ipsy does send them out fairly often which is great because they retail for a minimum of the cost of the bag so any month I get one makes the month automatically worth it. This is a fairly large fluffy angled brush but for me it will be perfect for a dramatic crease or for smoking out the outer v. This would also probably be great for nose contour.

Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow in Gunmetal

Full Size: 2 g

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 0.7 g

Value: $4.20

The packaging of this sample is much cuter then the full size. This is a nice gunmetal color but I do have plenty in my collection this isn’t even worth depotting for me. This is a miss for me. Swatched Below.

Colourpop Lippie Stix Matte X in Glam Bag

Full Size: 1 g

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 1 g

Value: $5

This is a bright magenta. I don’t wear colors like this but the formula is so creamy and matte that I am tempted to try to wear it. I thought this was going to be an exclusive shade but it is for sale on Colourpop’s website. Swatched Below.

Beauty for Real I-Line in Jade

Full Size: 0.28 g

Full Size Cost: $14

Sample Size: 0.28 g

Value: $14

I love this brand of eyeliner I received a black on awhile ago in an Ipsy bag and loved it to death and now I have this great Jade green. It is so pretty. the I-Line eyeliners are very pigmented and creamy so they apply to my waterline effortlessly and they have really good staying power and nothing stays in my waterline. Only weird part is that these are full size but then say not for retail sale on them just slightly odd. Swatched Below.

Eyeshadow, eyeliner, lippie stix. All nice quality the eye shadow and the lippie stick are just not colors I am into.


Very low value for Ipsy this seems to be becoming a trend. Despite that it is almost four times what you pay for the bag and I got 5 full size items out of 6. The brush and eyeliner are my favorite things in the bag and the lippie stix and eyeshadows are my least favorite.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $39.20

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 5

Deluxe Sample: 1

Sample: 0

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Macy’s Beauty Box September 2017 Subscription Box Review

Macy’s Beauty Box

Cost: $15

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: So Macy’s has hopped on the subscription box bandwagon and this is their first box. Every month you will get a bag, a $5 off coupon, 5 deluxe samples and 1 bonus sample. Why not just say 6? I don’t get it.

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

The cool thing about the coupon is that it is good in stores and online (beauty ships free at Macy’s) also Macy’s does have sales and $5 dollar 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 that is still basically free.


Kind of boring this month…… I am really waiting for Macy’s to step up their game coming into the Holidays or I will be canceling.

Literally everything in this bag was transparent there was nothing to swatch.

The bag is super cute this month but not as quality feeling as last months.

Burt’s Bees Hand Salve

Full Size: 3 oz

Full Size Cost: $7.10

Sample Size: 0.3 oz

Value: $0.71

This is a nice little tin of hand salve. It isn’t as great as my Fortune Cookie Soap company salves but it is still nice it is very thick but absorbs quickly.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Value: $11

This is a glowy primer but it doesn’t extend the wear of my makeup at all. I am really bored of primers in makeup bags like every one has a million this is boring.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $19

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $4.43

This is a gel moisturizer I actually like this for my hands it is way to moisturizing for my face. But again another boring standard product we have all seen and tried. I am pretty sure I have this sample sitting in my cabinet some where.

Dermablend Loose Setting Powder

Full Size: 28 g

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size: 5 g

Value: $4.82

Hey loose powder no one has ever tried that before *heavy sarcasm* I am kind ok with this because I have heard good things and am interested in this brand but I have so much loose powder I need to work through.

Ahava Purifying Mud Mask

Full Size: 0.9 oz

Full Size Cost: $10

Sample Size: 0.68 oz

Value: $7.56

The thing I am most excited about I love Ahava products and I love purifying masks. They are usually to expensive for me to want to purchase on my own so this is the one thing in the box I am happy about.

Vince Camuto Ciao Perfume

Full Size: 1 oz

Full Size Cost: $51

Sample Size: 0.09 oz

Value: $4.59

This smells really nice but for the life of me I can not figure out what it smells like. At least it is a sample I know I will use up. I love this designer’s shoes. Not that I own any they are like $400 a pair but a girl can dream.


Shame on you Macy’s the value is less this month and less deluxe size samples. I am not happy with this box at all I am giving them to December to impress me. The only saving grace is the $5 coupon but I can not get it to work on line I have to use it in store which limits my choices.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $33.11

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 1

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 4

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

Boxycharm August 2017 Subscription Box Review and Tarte Coupon

Boxycharm

Cost: $21

Cycle: Every Month

What is it:

Boxycharm sends out 4 to 5 full size  items every month which makes it really unique among the  boxes I subscribe to.  It is a nice change to get all full size products especially for the reasonable price of $21 which is usually less then the cost of one item in the box.

If you would like to subscribe you can use my referral link HERE. I don’t get anything other then points but would really appreciate it but do as you feel comfortable you are also welcome to use the link in the header that leads to the regular homepage.

You can also review your products and get “charms” which are their versions of points that you can use as money off in their shop.


This was such a great month. The theme was Beach Please and well other then one item nothing fit that theme but hey whatever the box was really cool this month.

Tarte generously sent out a coupon code that I will share with you all here.

The code is BOXYAUGUST and is good until 9/15/17.

Royal and Langnickel Moda Pro 3 Piece Brush Set

Full Size: Yes

Value: $26

This is a brush set from a line that is not releasing until the Fall so charmers got a a really nice pre-release version which is super cool. I love Royal and Langnickel brushes I own some from a few of the lines mostly Moda and Moda Prismatics. These Moda Pro brushes are softer than either of those lines. They also seem more sturdy and much higher quality. I really Like these I am going to link to three similar brushes so you can see a general price idea for their brushes individual these similar brushes come to almost $25. I actually think $26 for this set is a great price.

 

Similar to BMX-130 this is a blush or a soft contour brush I also think this could be great for any kind of powder.

Similar to BMX-430 just a great soft fluffy crease brush.

Similar to BMX-250 I love brushes like this for my rainbow highlighters they do a great job of applying a full intense rainbow effect. They are a very intense brush otherwise and I don’t really like to be seen from outer space but if you do this is your highlight brush.

 

The bristles are so soft and dense. The seem really sturdy ad well put together and I am really into the soft touch quilted handles they have going on. I am really in love with these they are easily my favorite thing in the whole box. Being worth more than I spent on this box doesn’t hurt either.

 

Pur Cosmetics Pro Eyelashes in Bombshell

Full Size: 1 pair

Full Size Cost: $14

Sample Size: 1 pair

Value: $14

These are really cool they are cruelty free silk lashes they look really real. They are long and dramatic but they don’t have that fake look that a lot of lashes have.

Bellápierre Gel Eye Liner in Ebony

Full Size: 1.8 g

Full Size Cost: $15

Sample Size: 1.8 g

Value: $15

This claims to be waterproof I love black gel eyeliners I can never have enough I have a whole drawer of them because black eyeliner is my trademark. I am not swatching this because I don’t want to open it. I have so many open liners. Sorry guys. I also could not get a good picture of this no matter how hard I tried the packaging is to reflective.

Aloette Face Paint in Blooming Berry

Full Size: 0.5 oz

Full Size Cost: $35

Sample Size: 0.5 oz

Value: $35

This is a weird product. First of all it keeps making me think of that creepy Alouette song about eating the bird.  It is ridiculously pigmented, smells like lightly fruity and it is a really thick creamy lip and cheek tint. Now I will never use this as a cheek stain because I don’t use blush. It wears off quick on the lips but is super pretty. I love that they sent us such an interesting product that is what I want boxes to do so even though I am not sure how I am going to use it I really like that I have it. It might make for some super fun Halloween makeup. I think the price is outrageous though I can’t see anyone wanting to spend $35 on this. I don’t know but it is weirdly cool and there’s a ton of product. Not that it matters but I really love how the tube looks and feels it looks so cute and like old school fancy makeup and it has this lovely slick smooth feel to the plastic. I’m in a weird mood and really into things that feel nice. Swatched Below.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Volume II

Full Size: 0.05 oz x 8

Full Size Cost: $36

Sample Size: 0.05 oz x 8

Value: $36

These shadows are so soft and buttery they almost feel like cream shadows. Like it is kind of amazing. This is my first experience with any Tarte shadows and from what I’ve heard the Rainforest of the Sea are some of the better formulas. They are really sheer though which is not a thing I like in my shadows they are smooth and not patchy so they are meant to be built up but I like a lot more pigment from the start in my shadows. That is more personal preference and definitely not a mark against the product. This also has the best fucking mirror like I never use the mirror in a palette but this one is so big and such good quality I could see myself using it. The purple and blue coral is also so pretty I love the design of this palette. This is a major score in terms of box items. Swatched Below

Flash, the lighter colors are hard to see on camera but are perfect blending shades for me on the eyes.

No Flash


Total: $126

Great value for a $21 dollar box I really love the palette and the brushes the cheek tint is a little weird but still nice to see something different in the box. I have really been thrilled with my Boxycharm subscription and would really recommend it to anyone looking for a subscription box.

 

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup