Thinking of You: Ipsy, December 2014.

 Oh hello Ipsy.

This bag came about a week ago, but between the dealing with children right before the holidays, at school, and planning a wedding in March, I've just been so busy, that I barely have time to check my mail. I haven't even opened half the Christmas Cards I've gotten so far. So I do apologize for the delay. 

Anyhow, Ipsy costs ten dollars a month, and for that ten dollars, you get a makeup bag full of samples and full-size products every month. Your bag will almost always be worth more than you paid for it, and at the same time, you get to try out all sorts of products.

This months theme was "Thinking of You", which I suppose seems appropriate with it being December and holidays and such.

I will say, I did like the bag this month, it's black and simple. 

First up, a precision beauty eyelash curler, worth $5.00.

Verdict: Curious

I've always seen eyelash curlers as some sort of Medieval torture device, so I've never actually owned one. They terrify me. But now that I have one, I'm sort of curious about it and want to try to use it without worrying about pulling all my eyelashes out. I'll let you all know how that goes.

This was what was in the bag.

Beauty Without Cruelty, facial cleanser, worth approximately $3.00.

Verdict: Indifferent

I don't mind facial cleansers. I'm always looking for stuff that can help me face and my skin. So I don't really feel happy or upset about getting a product like this. I would've preferred makeup, but it's not an unwelcome product.

Nyx butter lip balm, in marshmallow, worth $4.00, full-size.

Verdict: Like

Who doesn't want chapstick in the winter?

It's a nice nude color, so it doesn't really give my lips any color, and it smells really good. It smells like Marshmallows.

Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara, worth about $10.00.

[it's about half the size of a full-size product, which is worth $20.00]

Verdict:  LOVE

I love mascara samples. Thanks to Ipsy, I don't think I've bought mascara in over a year because I'm constantly getting samples of it :)

Pixi Fairy Dust, worth $10.00, full-size.

Verdict: Okay

 The color is so nude that you can barely see it on my skin, at all. 

If I had a choice, I would've chosen a different color because there's not much I can do with this color, and some of the other colors on the website like gold, snow, and copper appear to me more.

It's not a bad product, I used to buy stuff like this all the time, only my choices were more bright and glittery colors, I'm just not a fan of the color that I got sent.

[they used to sell these at Claire's, they were these stackable glitter pots and they were awesome! This product sort of reminds me of those, just less glittery and shimmery.]

So....

The grand total of this month's bag is: $32.00

More than three times what I paid for it.

I didn't hate this month's bag. It was much better than some of the recent bags I've gotten from them in the past few months. 

So if Ipsy appeals to you, by all means, check them out.

And:

 to all, who celebrate....

As for me, I'll be on a plane heading to NJ tomorrow to spend a week wedding planning!

See you next year ;)

 

Starlooks Starbox January 2014

So, my first Starbox finally came, and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed.

First of all Starbox comes from Starlooks. It's a makeup subscription that consists entirely of Starlooks products. One of the pros is that it's very affordable when compared to Wantable or some of the more expensive makeup subscription boxes, it's only about $15.00 per month, and you get 4 full-size makeup products, and a makeup tool.

This month, Starlooks did something different with their Starbox.  They sent every subscriber different products. Up until this month, every subscriber had gotten the same thing.

This was my first ever Starbox.

It comes in a white envelope, and it's the perfect size to fit into my tiny apartment mailbox, which is always a plus. The box itself is cute too, it looks like a present. My orange tabby Ajani immediately stole that silver string from the box and started playing with it.

It comes with a sheet that describes this month's theme. January's theme was "Surprise Yourself." It's all about not being afraid to take risks, which is a major girl power theme, so props for that.

This was the unboxing, four mystery products, a tool, and tiny quartz crystal.

This was one of the products I really liked that I received in my box. It's Starlooks Infinity Eyeliner in Milky Way, worth $13.00, as all products in a Starbox are full-size makeup products.

It's a creme based eyeliner, that can probably be used as a shadow, as well. It's silvery white, which is totally one of my wedding colors, so I approve. I've also always loved silver/white eye-products because I feel like they make me look more awake than I actually am, and they blend very nicely with other colors.

A Mascara Comb, price unknown, so I'll go with $8.00 based on a similar type product I found via a google search.

Not gonna lie, at first I had no idea what it was, but it made the perfect brush for my Rainbow Dash. Then I actually looked at the information card and realized what it was.

It's supposed to separate your lashes after you apply mascara and get rid of clumps. This has happened to me before, so I'm eager to see if it really does what it says it does.

Now, THIS IS WHAT DISAPPOINTED ME, I GOT THREE LIP PRODUCTS!!!

I don't do lipstick, I don't like lipstick. This is the same problem I had with my Wantable this month, I don't like lip products, yet they sent me two of them. 

Why three lip products? Why not one lip product, maybe an eyeshadow or a mascara or even an eyeliner. I was very sad I didn't get a pencil eyeliner. 

Oh this is the handy dandy information card that told me what the lash brush was.

My first Infinity Lipstick in Endless Satin, worth $15.000

And my second Infinity Lipstick in Eons Matte, also worth $15.00

Endless Satin is on top. Eons Matte is the bottom color.

I don't like lipstick, I won't wear lipstick. I only used the lipstick to make these swatches for anyone, who reads this. I want to give away these lipsticks, FREE OF CHARGE, so somebody can get a use from them. If you read this, and you're interested, please comment, and I can pick somebody to send both of these lipsticks to. 

My third lip product, Tender Gloss in Puzzy, worth $13.00

That very slight shimmery color in the bottom left corner of my hand is the color. I had to swatch a lot even to get that much to shimmer. This is the only lip product that I got that I have any interest in, and that's only because it's more a gloss than lipstick. It will just give my lips a slight shimmer, and I'm okay with that. I do like lip gloss and lip gloss like products.

My tiny crystal, every box comes with a crystal since they sparkle like stars.

I spent $15.00 and maybe two something for shipping, and I got products worth $64.00.

So yes, the Starbox is definitely worth its price.

My biggest qualm with it is just that I got a lot of lip products and not much of a variety. I'm sure a lip lover would have LOVED this box, I am just not a lip lover.

It's only their first month, they still have a chance with me. I just hope there's more of a variety of product for the February box. 

Again, I have two lipstick colors that are just going to sit and gather dust. If you read this, and want them, FREE OF CHARGE, please comment, and I will pick somebody to receive them.

Wantable: January

Wantable is one of my more expensive subscription boxes. You pay $36.00 per month [$45.00 for a one-time deal], and get a box of 5 full-size beauty products [and usually one free sample] that are hand-picked by you based on your answers to a very specific quiz that they have you to take, where you really can specify your loves/likes/dislikes.

You always get products you love, you occasionally get a product you like [although this month, I got two of my likes], and never get a product you hate.

 Mine looks like this: I LOVE medium, eyeliner, nail polish, lash product, eye shadows, and tools. I LIKE lip color and complexion products. I DISLIKE brows, blush, highlighter, and bronzer.

The test is very specific towards the products you love too. For example, if you only like bright colored and glitter nail polish, you can specify that, if you only want crazy eyeliner colors, you can specify that. Based on your answers and preferences, your products are handpicked for you, every month.

It is more expensive than the other boxes I get, but it's definitely tailored towards what I like and not as much of a gamble as other boxes are.

Wantable doesn't just do makeup. They also have an intimates subscription that has underwear, as well as lounge wear, and I've heard good things about it. They also have an accessory box. I just get their makeup box though.

They have super speedy shipping, your box gets to you in two days.  They also have amazing customer service. They charged me twice for my January box, and before I even noticed the double-charge, they had emailed me, apologizing for it, canceled the charge, and crediting me ten dollars on my next box. 

So, as aforementioned, Wantable is a little more pricey than some subscription boxes, but definitely worth it for their personalization and customer service.

Onto the Box:

It managed to get to me, even in the great Texas ice storm that canceled every single school district around me, and caused over thirty highway accidents. It's also small enough that it managed to fit into my tiny apartment mailbox along with the latest Tee Fury  that I had ordered.  I like it when boxes fit into my mailbox because then I don't need to go into the office, where they have that tempting coffee machine that makes delicious steamers, to claim my package.

This is the inside of the box. For the record, this is my second Wantable box.

All the products in the box are protected by layers and layers of gray foam.

This was the box under the foam.

Rainbow Honey nailpolish in Hanami, worth $10.00. "Hanami is a beautiful blend of rose, pink, white, and iridescent glitters in a sheer and shimmery pink base." It's a really pretty pink color, and I've heard good things about Rainbow Honey, in general, so I look forward to it's tenure on my nails.

A Michael Marcus Prime Foundation Brush, worth $20.00. I don't really wear foundation, I don't like the feel of it on my face, and I don't ever find a color that blends well enough with my skin, so this sort of tool is rather meh, for me. One of my more make-up savy friends may be inheriting it.

Or, if I knew that people read my blog, maybe I'd do a give-away, I have all sorts of double Julep nailpolishes, and some other stuff like this, that just sit in a pile, and it'd be fun to do a give-away with them, I just don't know if I have any readers, who would be interested, in such a thing.

FACE Stockholm Pot Gloss Grand, worth $19.00

I got a FACE Stockholm pot, last month, in a different color. I really like their lip pots. They go on very sheer with a nice shimmer, and they don't feel that heavy on my lips. This color is slightly darker than the color that I got last month, but it goes on generally the same. They're nude enough that they just give a hint of color, which is nice.

Beauty for Real, True Color Lip Cream Barely There, worth $22.00

The second lip product that I got this month. Lip Products are a like for me, so I'm sort of surprised that I got two of them. I would have preferred a mascara or eye shadow instead of two lip products, but whatever.

It looks very pink, and very shimmery when I did a swatch of it on my hand. I haven't tried it on my lips yet, so I'm not sure if it blends in well on my lips, so it is barely there, or it will give my lips color.  I'm meh about it, but it has nothing to do with the product, itself, I'm just not much of a lip person.

However, I do think it's nifty that it comes with a mirror on the side of the product, so you can check out, how it looks, on the go, and anywhere.

Be a Bombshell Eyeliner Teal, worth $14.00. 

I'm intrigued by the pen-like tip of this eyeliner, when I did a swatch on my hand, it had a really nice fine tip, and I think it will be a really nice product to apply on my eyes, and I also love the color, it reminds me of the color pens I used to write notes to my best friend in high school with, we were all about crazy colored pens in teal and pink and purple.

I also really like any sort of blue color eye product because I feel like it brings out my eye color, which is blue-gray. I also like bright colors.

A sample of Sorme Treat & Tint in Light Honey. It's a "multi-purpose skin perfecting BB Cream with the power of argan oil concentrate and SPF 30. BB cream provides instant luminosity, even tone, smoothness, and hydration of the skin."

Wantable usually sends a free sample with every box.

So, I paid $36.00 for my box, and received $85.00 worth of makeup, which is definitely double what I paid, initially.

I'm mostly satisfied with this box. I'm sort of meh at the two lip products, but I wouldn't say I was angry or anything. Wantable also has a great return policy, if you don't like things, you can send them back, no questions asked.  I don't feel a need to do that though, even with the two lip products.

But, as I've said before, if you have some money to spare, and want a very personable box full of makeup, definitely check out Wantable.