Showing posts with label ipsy
Wow, Ipsy is back? Yes, yes it is.

I've seen so many people getting sick Ipsy bags lately, and I figured I'd give it a go again. A little over a year ago (I think, maybe longer than that) I canceled my Ipsy bag. I couldn't be bothered with the shittiness anymore. I was getting things I had no use for, from brands I didn't like, it was just annoying and I felt like I was wasting my money.

Since having so much luck with Birchbox, I went back to them late Fall of 2014. It was then that I started seeing people LOVING Ipsy and the thought was always in my mind.

I have an extra $10 a month now for another beauty subscription (as if I need more beauty products). I decided on a whim to try it out, especially after I saw people getting a Too Faced Melted Lipstick in their June bag.

Ipsy is similar and different to Birchbox. It's $10 a month and you get 4-5 samples, although you also get a bag instead of a box. I always appreciated the Ipsy bags because I get great use out of them. I'm a bag lady, if you didn't already know.

Ipsy has since stepped up their game in regards to points and an online shop, similar to Birchbox. You can review the items in your bag, share your bag on social media, for points. When you rack up enough points, it seems that you can redeem for a full size product. There are only select items you can score on a monthly basis... I know back in June you could get a FULL SIZE Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, before it was even released. That is a great perk.

Ipsy also has discounts on the items in your bag.. You can get 15-20% off if you'd like to purchase the full size. I don't think Ipsy has an actual shop like Birchbox does, but they do have exclusive offers on select items every week, for a discounted price, which is a great bonus.

It's little add ons like that, that to me, make a difference when choosing a subscription box. I want more of an experience, and I think Ipsy always lacked that but they're coming up strong.




I thought my first bag would be July but to my surprise, it was June and my goodness, it was amazing. The bag itself wasn't super pretty, just a plain black with the Ipsy logo embossed all over it. The material was nice though, it felt like bathing suit material, perfect for summer.

Let's see what I got...



//Jules & Ester Vitamin C Serum: I need to get into serums, and I like the idea of a Vitamin C one since it has brightening effects. The problem is, whenever I use one, my skin freaks out. I've tried many serums that just haven't worked out for me, so I haven't tried this yet. It seems to be full size which is always a great thing, so I'll have to try it out and see how it works.





//Aurora Gel Effects Nail Polish in 4 Alarm Fire: I will never turn down a nail polish and this bad boy is perfect. It's a great summer, neon coral color and it applies like a dream. It's supposed to have the look and feel of a gel manicure and it really does. It lasted on my nails for quite a while, a little less than a week before it started to chip. This has quickly become a summer staple so expect to see a Manicure Monday very soon!



//Bio Republic Skincare Sheet Mask Trio: Usually in a subscription box you get one sheet mask, or a small sample of a regular mask. Ipsy changed the game by giving us THREE sheet masks from Bio Republic. I haven't tried them yet but I've never met a mask I didn't like. Throwing in three different masks is a sure fire way to my heart!




//Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Candy: This was why I subscribed and if we continue to get products from high end brands, it will be the reason I stay. I LOVE the Too Faced Melted Liquified Lipsticks and I was SO happy to get a mini size of this red shade. I thought I had a review on this lipstick that I have in Chihuahua but I couldn't find it.. odd. It's a liquid lipstick that goes on like a gloss but is thicker and has the semi matte finish of a lipstick. They're supposed to be long wearing and transfer proof but I think I apply it wrong (have to try again). Either way, I love this product and I want more so this sample is a great way to start!





//Tre'Stique Mini Shadow Crayon: I love cream shadows, and I love shadow crayons. They're easy to apply and last longer than a regular shadow, in my opinion. They're a no fuss way to apply eyeshadow, my least favorite beauty product to apply. This mini shadow came in the color Apen Pine and I am so glad to add it to my collection. I don't have any green shadows and I really like the way they look on me so this will come in handy for the fall. It's a standard shadow stick formula, not to greasy, not too stiff, easy to apply and smooth to the touch. This was definitely a win in my book.

All in all, my first Ipsy bag was a huge success. I loved all the products I got and wasn't disappointed in the slightest. It was definitely worth the $10 and I'm so excited for my July bag!

What do you think of Ipsy? What is your favorite beauty subscription service?  Tell me in the comments!



Ever since I could remember, I have prided myself on having flawless skin (sorry not sorry). I was never prone to breakouts when I was a teenager and as I got older, my skin just kept it's natural glow. Of course I would have a breakout here and there but it was never a problem.

I was always so grateful that I never had problem skin unlike so many other people I knew. I have a feeling this will all come back at me viscously when I'm 30 years old but for now, my skin is still good.

Even with all this good skin karma, last week I had a nasty breakout, like blemishes everywhere..my forehead, my nose, along my chin. My sister looked at me in disgust (RUDE!).

It was really bothering me because makeup wasn't helping (I'm too tan for all my foundation and concealer) so I couldn't cover it up and they were taking forever to go away.

That's when I decided to go to work.

I always have products up my sleeve for times like this and I know exactly what works for my skin. Instead of using just one or two of these magical products, I put all four to work and rotated them all week, trying to find the perfect combination to battle these blemishes. 


There's one cleanser/mask, one mask, and two clear gels/serums. The gels/serums I've received in beauty subscription boxes, the cleanser/mask in my Her Campus goodie bag and the mask has been my trusty go to for YEARS.

//Proactiv X Out Treatment: This bad boy came in the HerCampus Conference goodie bag and I was skeptical at first because it's made for "teen skin" which I am not. The consistency is pretty nice, not too thick but just the right combination of serum and cleanser. With this, at first, I used as a mask. I applied it to my T zone and on the blemishes for 10 minutes and it dried clear, not like a mud mask. I washed it off and then applied it (in combination with other products) on the blemishes for an overnight mask. It dried out the blemishes a little bit but nothing too drastic.

//Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum: I received this in a Birchbox last year and was immediately taken with it. It has a weird, medicated smell but it's nothing too overpowering. A little dab of this serum on a blemish and overnight, you're cured. Seriously. If it's a little more than a tiny blemish, it may take two-three uses but it works like magic.

//Clear Clinc Vanished Clear Spot Treatment: I received this in my July Ipsy Glam Bag and was happy to see it because I knew it would come in handy. When I applied this, it burned my skin (and hurt really bad) but after a few seconds, the burn went away and I could actually feel it working. I usually combined this with the Evologie serum and had them both work together to combat by horrible break out. It worked like a charm.

//Proactiv Refining Mask: This is my pride and joy, my holy grail of blemish items. It's not something you could buy in a store, you only get it when you subscribe to Proactiv. My mom has been a long time subscriber so we have bottles of the Refining Mask floating around our house. Plus, it's really hard to go through a whole tube. This baby usually comes as an extra gift when you order the regular 3 step skin treatment (I don't think you can order it off the website, I checked and it was really confusing). All you do is cleanse your face and then right before bed, dab a little of this on the blemish and then by morning it's gone. I'm amazed at how this works, its really magic. 

Rotating these products, applying them together and alone helped diminish all the blemishes on my face (FYI: I hate the word pimple hence why I'm saying blemish) within the week. It definitely took me a little longer to get rid of them than usual and I still have some bumps but nothing major.

What I usually did was apply both serums and then the refining mask over it. Maybe I overdid it but eventually it worked! Some nights I allowed my face to breathe without putting all these products on it, giving my skin a break. Too much is never good when it comes to skincare. 

These are my holy grail, go to products when it comes to blemishes and breakouts. What are yours? I LOVE hearing about your skincare routines/favorite products :)



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