Heya Aspiring Gurus!
I know that I am really far behind on this, but I swear I will be catching up within the next month or so. So, this week, I am breaking down the November Ipsy bag piece by piece and letting you all know my first impression on the product based with playing around with it for a couple of months now. I will be showing you product pictures as well as swatches and how the product looks on my skin/hair. The hair spray will be hard to demonstrate, but I’ll just show you a hair style look that I locked in with this pray and nothing else. You will get the general idea of it at least. I’m just going to jump right into it now!
The Theme:
[I thought I had pictures of the November Bag, but I didn’t. I had to go back and take all of the pictures you see in this post very recently. So, to make up for not having the card picture, here’s one of the girl!]
I thought that this was a really great theme that month. You all know me! I’m a sucker for anything glittery or sparkling. So, I was very excited for this theme, however I have to say that the contents of this bag have left me underwhelmed. Only one of the items truly had glitter, one had sparkle, and the other had shine. I was expecting more…glitter. Maybe some loose glitter or something. Did anyone else feel that the bag fell short in the glitter department? Please let me know that I am not the only one. I do think that the card is very pretty though.
The Bag:
I love the bag!!!! It is so glittery and sparkly. It is absolutely amazing and no wonder why?! It is designed by Forever 21, my favorite brand for just about everything. I give the bag a big 5 out of 5 stars for amazing-ness. This bag will not stop me from unsubscribing though. My last bag will be January and my first Birchbox will be soon. Super excited!
The Contents:
Jcat Wonder Lip Paint in Red Potion, 0.33 oz for 4.99 USD [full sized]:
This stuff is super pigmented and a little bit goes a really long way. This stuff is just as good in my opinion to the original Lip Tar. The lip paint is moisturizing and long lasting. Red Potion is not a true red. It is more of a berry red with purple / blue undertones. I love rocking this lip for a night out or just being fancy on a night in. The tube will honestly last me forever. I just wish that it came with a brush applicator tip to make applying this product less messy. This stains the back of your hands, so use a plate or something to put a dot of product on and dip your lip brush into it. This color is unforgiving if you brush it outside of your lip line. It will feather. You cannot achieve a Kylie Jenner look with this. How I like to apply this is with a q-tip and a paper cup (or a cupcake wrapper). I dot the color on my lips to get the color build up that I want, then throw out the extra. I don’t like to stain my brushes if I can help it.
I put one dot of product into it and I used like a tenth of that. You really do not need much at all. I then like to use a clear gloss on top using a q-tip as well. I like to get a bit of gloss and rub it and mix it into the color, muting down a bit. I am using the pillowplush lip balm from EM Cosmetics in the color sorbet, which does not even tint my lips so I call it clear.
As you can see, I love this balm and have used it multiple times. You can also see by the two pictures that the lip paint goes from a blood red to more of a lighter pink with the aid of this gloss.
Marc Anthony Oil of Moroccan Argan Oil Volume Shine Hair Spray, 1.5 oz for 1.38 USD [sample]:
I loved this product so much I already used up all of it and reviewed it. If you want to read the review to learn more, click HERE. It works well and I would consider purchasing it. Right now, I have four cans of hair spray, so I’m all set.
Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eye Base in Submissive, 0.09 oz for 14. 99 [full sized]:
I enjoy this base color. I think that it looks great on its own and you can definitely build it up. I like that I can create a subtle eye look with it or a bold one. It still creases on me, but I have very oily eye lids and have not found a primer that works. This does not crease too bad. As you can see by the photos. If you are looking for something as an everyday eye look, I really enjoy this, but I prefer using my Bare Minerals BB Cream Shadows. It is decent and I like it. If you are looking for something better but pricier, I prefer the Bare Minerals, because they DO NOT crease on me AT ALL. They are not a primer, but they work beautifully.
TEMPTU S/B Highlighter in Pink Pearl, 0.1 fl oz for 2.75 USD [sample]:
I reach for this highlighter on a weekly basis. I like to use this to highlight my cheekbones and the inner corners of my eyes. I, even on occasion, use it as an eye shadow. If I get my eyebrows pluck, I use this as an eye bone highlight as well. Speaking of which, I really need to get my brows done. It has been MONTHS since I got them done last. It’s only like 15 dollars with a 5 dollar tip (I give that if I really love my brows, otherwise it’s 2 or 3). This is a very subtle highlighter, which I quite enjoy. It’s not glittery or sparkly, which is another thing that I love. It just gives a nice sheen.
Elizabeth Mott You’re So FINE Eyeliner in Glitterati, 0.1 oz for 17.99 [full sized]:
I like the glitter flecks in the eyeliner. It adds an unexpected touch to your basic black. It is a much needed upgrade and this eyeliner is a breeze to apply. It does not take much practice to get the perfect cat-eye that is almost matching, but remember, your eyes are SISTERS not twins. I always have to keep that in mind when I do my makeup. This is great for a glam look or for something more natural. Sometimes, I just apply the eyeliner with no eye shadow, just to be low key about it. It is quite expensive, but I find that liquid liners last for at least 6 months. You do get your money’s worth and I’m always reaching for this.
Well, the grand total for the November bag was 42.10 USD, which is almost 50 USD! I was surprised about the full sized items and very pleased. I really loved this bag, but I had so many disappointing ones. I was ready and excited for Birchbox. I needed a change for the new year. Do you like Birchbox or Ipsy better? Let me know in the comments!
My overall look using all of the mentioned products, plus a few others:
With Love,
Home Sweet Phoenix Cove 