Better Late Than Never...

I know it's been ages since I've written anything. All I can really say is that life happened!

In June 2013, I found out I was pregnant! My first trimester, I had awful morning sickness. I lost 20 pounds! So, between that and working, I wasn't feeling very pretty, lol.

Fast forward a bit, morning sickness is gone and we found out we were having a boy!

March 1, 2014, we have our sweet little man and then I was just getting used to being a mommy. Obviously, there's a ton more to our story, and I may go into that later, but for now I'm just trying to get my toes wet again.

I've learned about some new products and I've *kinda* perfected some new techniques. My little mister is about to turn one. And, I'm starting some new things in my life. I thought that I'd pick my blog back up.

So, here it goes!

June Ipsy Glam Bag!

Hey, y'all! I found the pics that I took from my June Ipsy bag. Here they are with a breakdown of prices! *for more info on Ipsy, check out my July Ipsy post*

 

The first product was from NYX Cosmetics.

 

It's a mosaic powder in the color Dare #MPB 12. This is a really pretty coral color. For me, it's a little too orange. But, I like the texture! I'm going to see if my sister might use this, or maybe another friend. This one is $7 at www.nyxcosmetics.com. You can also find this and other NYX products at ULTA.

The next item is a lip pencil from Star Looks in the color Tickle Me Pink. It's a true pink in a creamy finish. I really like this one too. The pencil glides on without tugging at the skin. This one is priced at $12 and can be found at www.starlooks.com

 

This gel liner is by a company called Cailyn Cosmetics. I really love the color but it is one that you have to build up. I HATE the brush, sorry I didn't include a pic. This is $21 and found at www.cailyncosmetics.com

 

The next 2 are from the same company:

 

 

 

The first pics are of lashes by J. Cat Beauty in style EL99. They're really nice ones, long without being overly dramatic and they come with a small container of glue. I haven't worn them yet. When I do, I'll update this post with a pic. These are $3.99

The next one is a Sparkling Cream Shadow Palette in Volta #SCP106. These go on a little chunky and aren't really meant to be worn around the eyes. The pans are surprisingly shallow, so there's not as much product as you think. But, at $4.49, that doesn't really bother me.

 

So, the grand total of this bag comes out to $48.48. Basically, you get $38.48 in free products. This bag also had all full size products, which was really nice! 

July Ipsy Glam Bag!

Hey, everyone! I got my Ipsy bag the other day, so I thought I'd post some pics. I've been getting these bags since May and, for the most part, have really loved them. This month wasn't my favorite though.

 

 

If you don't know what Ipsy is, it's a cosmetics subscription service. It's $10 a month and you get 5-6 deluxe samples or full size products. When you sign up, you fill out a brief survey that allows Ipsy to personalize your bag. You will get a lot of the same things that other people get, but you'll get different colors or fragrances, etc. It's a really great service and not nearly as expensive as some of the other ones out there. You can sign up here: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-h9vriau91w039qr

 

So, these are the products I received this month with a break down of their prices. Usually, just one product will balance out the cost of the subscription. Then, it's like you got all the other products for free! Not to mention that you get a really cute makeup bag every month that is ALWAYS different!

 

This is from a company called Pop Beauty and the color is in Coral Crush. It's a little more coral in person than in this picture. The Pouty Pop Crayon is only sold in sets of 6 for $25. So, if you break it down, this one came out to $4.16.

 

This is a sample from bh Cosmetics California Collection. There's one color from each collection. The collections are priced at $7, but individual shadows are $ .98. So, I priced the sample based on the individual shadow price and came up with $2.94. I have to say that I'm disappointed in this one. As pretty as the colors are, the pigmentation just isn't there and they were chalky. I had to rub really hard just to get enough to make the colors show up in the photo.

 

This is from Healthy Sexy Hair. It's their Soy Renewal Beach Spray. It's supposed to give you texture whether you use it wet or dry. This one is $5.49

 

This is a perfume oil by Demeter in Salt Air. It's a roll on, which I like. I'm not sure how I feel about the scent yet. I'm going to have to wear it for a bit. This one alone was $10, so there's the price of the subscription right there.

 

Lastly, there was a sample of the Coola Organic Suncare Classic Sunscreen spf 30 in Cucumber. I really love the scent of this and wish that the sample had been a bit bigger. I haven't used this yet, so I'm not sure how my skin will react to it. It's supposed to be organic, so hopefully it won't bother my sensitive skin. I couldn't find a price for the sample, but the full sized bottle is $32 for 1.7 oz. So, I guess if you do the math it would come out to $7.36 for a .23 oz tube. I could be wrong, math is NOT a strong point of mine!

 

All together, this bag has a value of $22.59. With the sunscreen, the value would be $29.95

I found the prices at the individual products websites. Each month, Ipsy will provide discounts for the products that you want to purchase full sizes of. I did a video for my unboxing on youtube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUzryqDbnSg

 

 

Review: E.L.F. Essential Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Pink Lemonade

This packaging is very similar to the Hypershine glosses except that instead of a brush, it has a built in large doe foot applicator. The product squeezes through holes in the applicator. It's just and easy product to throw into your purse!

It's a very sheer pink with gold shimmer. I know it says it's a liquid lipstick, but it's really a gloss. It's a medium consistency, not as sticky as other glosses. It has a vaguely sweet/peppermint scent and flavor. I find it to feel moisturizing. It's not highly pigmented though, as you can see. It's only $1 and one of 11 shades. There are some darker colors in this line as well. I don't think your going to get anything with the same coverage as a traditional lipstick, though. This color can be found at www.eyeslipsface.com and Target! 

Review: E.L.F. Essential Hypershine Gloss in Joy

Love the packaging! You just twist it up and brush it on! These don't have doe foot applicators, but come with a brush built in.

This one goes on the color that you see in the tube. It's a very translucent pink with a gold shimmer. It's a lovely color! I think someone with more pigmentation in their lips will find that all they'll get is a soft golden shimmer with shine. There wont be a lot of color payoff with most people. It has a comfortable consistency and feels moisturizing. It is a bit sticky. It works nicely by itself or paired with a lipstick. This is $1 and there are 8 colors in this collection. You can find this and the other colors at www.eyeslipsface.com or at Target.

Review: E.L.F. Essential Hypershine Gloss in Berry Cherry

I like this packaging. Its compact, doesn't take up much room and, you can see the color at a glance. At first glance, it's a peachy color. There is not glitter or pearly finish to it.

It goes on a soft, natural pink. I think in the tube it almost looks like it has a orange undertone to it. As you can see, on my lips that doesn't show up. It's very sheer. I think someone that has a lot of natural pigment to their lips may not see any color payoff. It could be used aver another color though to add gloss. I don't have a lot of natural pigment, so this works well for me. The consistency isn't too thick but it is a little sticky. I've yet to find a gloss that isn't : ) It has a sweet scent to it and no taste. It wears fairly well. I do have to reapply after eating or drinking. It's not going to last all day. It feels very moisturizing! All in all, I really like this one! I have one other color that I'll do a review on. There are 8 colors in this line at $1 a pop! You can find this at www.eyeslipsface.com and Target.

Review: E.L.F. Essential Blush with Brush in Shy

Ok, I love E.L.F. products and I think that they have some really great packaging for the price. This one? Not so much. I'm afraid to drop this for fear that the lid will break. Then, short of depanning it and putting it in a Z Palette, it's useless for travel or to carry in my purse. It does come with a little mirror, which I do appreciate. The brush, like most brushes of this size, is not useful. It's coarse and doesn't pick the color up. Now, onto the actual blush...

It's a really pretty, sheer color. Only problem is that when you blend it out it doesn't show up. You really have to build this one up. I'm very fair with a pink tone to my skin, so maybe it just blends in too well. It could, possibly, show up better on someone with a deeper skin color than my own. You do get a lot of product for only $1. I don't see myself using this very much. Honestly, looking at the other colors offered in the Essential line, I may not purchase from that line again. They come in 7 shades, but are all fairly light in color. I'd love to know what ya'll think about these blushes! Feel free to comment and let me know! Like all E.L.F. products, you can get this at www.eyeslipsface.com or Target!