year in review: ipsy glambags 2016

 

hi guys! here's my year in review of my ipsy bags*! going through to make this post, i've realized that i forgot about a ton of the products i've received this year. if they're things that can be used up, i'll try to mention them in future empties posts, if i can tolerate keeping them long enough... anyway, enjoy!  ~Lin-chan ^.~

january

1. theBalm mr. write (now) in jac b. bronze -- this actually became an instant favorite. doesn't smudge, i loved the color and the lasting power, and i'd definitely recommend this!
2. hikari cosmetics cream metallic pigment shadow in mink -- i wasn't a fan with my intital testing, so i passed it along.
• product was given away
3. skone cosmetics smudger brush -- i kept forgetting about this brush. i'm not huge into smudging unless i'm trying to set my lower liner with a similar color..which i'm usually too lazy to do on the daily, thus i haven't really used this guy.
4. ofra cosmetics universal eyebrow pencil -- after trying this on many occasions, i could never figure this product out. it was very waxy which was great, but the way it applied and looked on the skin was awful for me. it was as if you were using a porous crayon on a sheet of paper..and there were like random splotchy parts... yeah. no.
• product was given away
5. lasting smiles lip balm in peppermint creme -- this is an ok lip balm. haven't fully decided, but i think it makes me chappy.

february

1. smashbox photo finish primer oil -- the concept of this product weirds me out, so i gave it away.
• product was given away
2. luxie beauty flat definer brush 221 -- this probably would be great for liner, since it's super stiff and thin..but i'm too lazy to use gel liners lately, so i haven't gotten around to using this brush either.
3. naked cosmetics mica pigment in sierra nevada -- i ended up pressing some of this into an empty eyeshadow pan, since i'm not as big into loose pigments, but it's pretty and i've been enjoying using it.
4. vintage by jessica liebeskind sparkling lip gloss in pink sequin -- this is such a gorgeous and mesmerizing gloss! if you're considering it, it's totally worth every penny. 
5. mor emporium classics hand & body lotion in candied vanilla -- this was such a super sweet smelling lotion and i loved it! the formula was very nice and i'm interested in getting more, but not necessarily right away.
• product was finished
6. burts bees facial cleansing oil -- redeemed points to give this to a friend
• product was given away

march

1. marc anthony nourishing argan oil of morocco 3 day smooth perfect blow dry cream -- i ended up deciding i didn't need additional hair products and gave this away before trying it out.
• product was given away
2. NoTS 28 remedy balancing toner -- i ended up not using this and decided to give it away.
• product was given away
3. pixi beauty beauty blush duo in rose gold -- ipsy ended up responding pretty quickly after i emailed them about the broken blush duo and sent a replacement. i ended up mixing up my original one and pressing it back into the pan. which was perfectly fine with me, because i don't know how they expected people to fit a brush into half of this pan to get each color. anyway, mixed together, it's a very pretty pink highlight.
• replacement product was given away
4. nyx cosmetics lip suede in pink lust -- oh ye~ah! this color!
• product was given away
5. manna kadar 3 in 1 blush highlighter eyeshadow in fantasy -- this is such a pretty  highlighter, i'm so happy with it!
6. befine exfoliating cleanser -- this is a pretty nice cleanser. it's nice and gritty from the brown sugar but it lathers up a little as you work it in. only issue i have with it is that it's sugar and i'd have to keep this out of the shower to keep it from melting.

april

1. buxom wildly whipped lightweight liquid lipstick in centerfold -- this formula was a bit weird, but i liked the color. at some point, i need to try this again and make a decision on it.
2. nudestix lip + cheek pencil in mystic -- this made it into my lippy drawer and hasn't come out. i probably should take it out and try using it sometime!
3. l.a.b.² - live and breathe beauty just blending in brush -- this brush was a bit too fluffy and flexible for my taste. i'd prefer if it were more stiff and didn't bend and splay so easily while i would blend eyeshadows.
• product was given away
4. ren evercalm global protection day cream -- i'm not huge on the scent, never ended up using it, and gave it away.
• product was given away
5. pur-lisse blue lotus + white tea sheet mask & blue lotus + seaweed sheet mask -- i didn't actually use either of these! these made it into my sheet mask drawer and i forgot about them! >.< i'll have to use them and update you all in an empties post.

may

1. smashbox x-rated mascara -- while i did like how this mascara looked, i didn't like that it was very difficult to remove.
• product was given away
2. pacifica natural mineral coconut eyeshadow trio in natural beauty (skinny dip, crush, lovely) -- i didn't really use this shadow much, even though it is quite pretty. at some point i should probably make a decision with it...
3. hikari cosmetics shimmer bronzer in radiate -- despite how pretty this is, i decided i'd pass it along. it's a bit too much for my skintone mixed together and i have enough similar colors that i probably won't be reaching for this as an eyeshadow.
• product was given away
4. <eva nyc hungry hair oil treatment -- this product lasted me quite a while because it was so potent. but on that note, i'm not interested in repurchasing because of the consistency and i like the products i already have.
• product was finished
5. the organic pharmacy antioxidant lip balm -- i was not a fan of this formula. it's too thin and doesn't linger very long.
• product was given away

june

1. urban decay eyeshadow in fireball -- i haven't really used this shadow much, but it's super pretty! i'm not sure how much i like this type of shade on my skin.
2. formula x nail polish in wingwoman -- i love formula x polishes. they're great and they don't chip as quickly on me as most other brands. i think i've mentioned it on here before, but i'm not a huge fan of cream polishes since they tend to have visible streaks, and i'm not into coraly reds either.
• product was given away
3. seraphine botanicals happy hibiscus blush -- this blush was really hard to work with, i'm not sure if it was the size or the actual formula of the product, but i didn't like it.
• product was given away
4. royal & langnickel moda crease/smudge brush -- i never really got around to using this brush. because of its design, i'm more inclined to use the crease brush since i'm not much of a smudger.
5. delectable by cake beauty everything balm -- this stuff was weird and i didn't really know what to do with it really. so i passed it along.
• product was given away
6. benjabelle brush cleansing balm -- i'm still in the process of using this up, but it's a pretty good brush cleaner. i've been primarily using it for my smaller brushes with powder (not cream) in them and they've been coming out nice and clean.

july

1. elizabeth mott show me your cheeks blush in peach pink -- i ended up giving this away because the payoff wasn't that good. like it looked really pretty and nars orgasm-esque in the pan, but it may as well have been a highlighter. no pink showed up for me.
• product was given away
2. trust fund beauty nail polish in no filter -- applying this, i was super impressed with how it was one coat and go, and it quickly self-leveled. this shade however looks like death on my skintone. so this is going to get passed along.
• product was given away
3. theBalm meet matt(e)trimony eyeshadow in matt kumar -- i haven't really used this too much, but the one or two times i did, i enjoyed this shade in the outer corner.
4. befine night cream -- the scent of this is super weird. like i can definitely tell that it's a rice type scent, but millet...i'm not totally sure.. granted, when i had birds, i never sniffed their food, lol! the cream itself is relatively light and feels nice, but i'm not sure why this is considered a night cream, but whatever.
• product was given away
5. model launcher cosmetics felt tip eyeliner in emerald isle -- i'm not sure that this would be opaque enough for my liking, but it seems like it might be a good liner.
• product was given away
6. kiesque liquid palisade -- i was very impressed by this product, and i'm definitely interested in purchasing similar products in the future.

august

1. ciaté london paint pot in dangerous affair -- this was a really pretty color. i don't remember what wear time i got with it, but maybe 3 days?
2. it cosmetics no tug waterproof  gel eyeliner -- omg this liner guys. i really like this liner and bought full sizes!
• product was finished
3. peter lamas supreme radiance complexion booster -- i gave this away because it weirded me out too much.
• product was given away
4. winky lux diamond complexion powder in light -- i still have this and have used it a couple times to help with eyeshadow blending. this thing is too freakin small to actually attempt using it for my whole face.
5. this works in transit camera close-up -- this wasn't my cup of tea. the scent was off putting and i'm not too sure about its claims. so i gave it away.
• product was given away

september

1. it cosmetics superhero mascara in super black -- i really liked how this mascara made my lashes look thicker, longer, and falsie-ish? super good, totally recommend, and plan to repurchase at some point.
• product was finished
2. buff her house of exfoliation vanilla almond crumbles -- haven't had a chance to get around to using this either.. need to remember where i even put it...... but it is basically like a powder cleanser that you apply to a wet face.
3. nuxe moisturizing mask creme fraiche de beaute -- i was not having it for this scent.
• product was given away
4. coastal scents elite bamboo collection medium shadow brush -- i forgot i even received this brush! i'll have to give it a go.
5. tre'StiQue mini highlight stick in maldives luminescent -- this is a really pretty highlight color. i have yet to actually use it on my face though.

october

1. makeup forever ultra hd invisible cover foundation in Y225 -- i actually already had a sample of this shade which is ok, but a little light for me. if i decide to get this foundation, i'll probably go up a shade or two.
• product was given away for a friend to try
2. kokie cosmetics nail polish in heavenly -- this color is death. so i passed it along.
• product was given away
3. pure brazilian leave in miracle -- i wasn't a fan of this product. the scent was weird and i didn't feel like it did anything for me.
• product was given away
4. essence cosmetics superfine eyeliner pen waterproof  -- i was not a fan of this liner. its waterproofness sucked, it flaked on me and irritated my eyes. no thanks.
• product was given away
5. teeez cosmetics eve's ready to wear lipstick in romantic red -- this is such a pretty red and has super fun packaging. only problem is that i don't typically wear reds.... and this one leans a bit more orange when i prefer blue-based ones.

november

1. ofra cosmetics brightening banana powder -- i haven't gotten around to using this yet. i wish these ofra products came in containers instead of the refill pans, because i don't always grab the z palette that i keep this guy in.
2. benefit cosmetics the porefessional -- saving this product for travel! i love this primer, but not so much the price of it!
3. elizabeth mott color is bae in moxie mauve -- was not into this product, and its lasting power was weird.
• product was given away
4. formula x polish in huntress -- i'm really sad that i haven't gotten a chance to try this polish out. it's a bit difficult for me to use this shade because it's not really business appropriate.. or maybe borderline... i'm not sure and need to swatch test it.
5. delectable by cake beauty sweet mint & cream hand cream -- this is a nice hand cream. i just suck at using hand creams. but i'll keep trying!

december

1. royal and langnickel moda angle shader brush -- i keep forgetting about this lil brush. or i haven't been home to remember that i even have it... anyway, i'm sure this'll be pretty good for blending the crease, or applying lid color.
2. marc anthony deep hydrating treatment -- still in the process of using this product. it's nice, but i'm probably not going to repurchase since there's other products i like better.
3. nyx prismatic eyeshadow in bedroom eyes -- i'm passing this guy along, seeing as though i bought this shade just after they came out! 
• product was given away
4. tarte tartiest glossy lip paint in wcw -- this is a pretty nice size for me to test out this formula. i'm not huge into glosses lately mostly because of the texture and feel. but this one isn't too bad. i need to use it a bit more to see if i want to keep it though.
5. aurora intensively precise eyeliner blackberry -- i need to actually remember to try this liner out. like i tried it before showering one time to test the color and irritation level out, and i thought it was pretty good. but that was for only like an hour. so i need to remember to test this over the course of a couple days.

year in review: ipsy glambags 2015

 

hi guys! here's my year in review of my ipsy bags*! ~Lin-chan ^.~

january

1. bella pierre shimmer powder in celebration -- this is such a pretty coppery gold shade. super gorgeous!
2. elizabeth mott all over shadow brush -- this is a great fairly stiff, but still flexible brush. i love using these types of brushes for all-over shadow application
3. la fresh be good. good day. day moisturizer -- this smells really weird. it's kinda like sunscreen but not really...i think it's the cucumber or something that makes it smell like this.. i'm undecided if i want to actually use this on my face though. the scent really bothers me.
• product was given away
4. pacifica natural mineral coconut eye shadow in ethereal -- this is so pretty. i feel like the name is very fitting because it's super highlighty and shimmery...idk maybe that's just my word association at work...
5. probelle nail polish in into the blue -- this polish formula is awful. it applies super patchy and it barely lasted a day on my nails.

february

1. modelco blush in cosmopolitan -- it's a very pretty blush shade, but not super happy with how much powder my brush kicks up.
• product given away
2. mitchell and peach fine radiance face oil -- i was using this for a little while, then i moved onto other things. i need to get back to it and decide how i really like it.
3. eva nyc up all night volumizing spray -- i ended up using this only once and it was ok. i wasn't really huge into it, but i need to try it more.
4. emite make up professional eye lash curler -- i'll just leave the following link here.
• AVOID THIS PIECE OF CRAP LIKE THE PLAGUE
5. city color cosmetics creamy lip stain in flirtini -- this didn't dry down and got onto anything i ate or drank. the staining power was negligible.
• product was given away

march

1. nyx butter lipstick in hunk -- while it's a great color, i couldn't really find myself wearing it. 
• product was given away
2. pur-lisse pur-delicate gentle soymilk cleanser & makeup remover -- this product was ok. i'm not so sure if i'd use this directly on a completely made-up face, but it seemed to work well.
• product was finished
3. boo-boo cover-up concealer in medium -- this was too dark for me.
• product was given away
4. dr. brand pores no more anti-aging mattifying lotion -- i wasn't a fan of their regular pores no more...
• product was given away
5. vintage by jessica liebeskind illuminating face highlighter -- this is such a pretty pink highlight!

april

1. elizabeth arden beautiful color moisturizing lipstick in red door red -- while i really liked this color, i'm thinking of giving it away since i'm probably not going to wear it much.
2. mullein & sparrow mini lip & cheek tint -- this was kinda oily feeling and where's the tint??? i didn't see any!
• product was given away
3. mica beauty eye primer -- it's thicker in texture, but similar to nyx eye primer in skintone. the nyx spreads out nicely and matches my skin color. this was orangy on me.
• product was given away
4. theBalm nudeDude shadow single in fit -- this is such a pretty gold shadow!
5. pandora's makeup box pink carnation blush -- i never got around to using this blush. i think i tried once, but i forget. if i remember right, it does kick up a bit of dust with a brush though. really pretty color.

may

1. briogeo rosarco milk reparative leave-in conditioning spray -- this stuff is ok. it smells a little salon-y when you first spray it in, but the scent doesn't linger.
2. it cosmetics your skin but better cc+ cream with spf 50+ in medium -- this was too dark for me.
• product was given away
3. skone cosmetics pretty eyes automatic eyeliner in navy -- this was way creamier than i wanted to deal with. it was navy colored in the pencil, but swatched, it was closer to a medium blue.
• product was given away
4. klorane smoothing and relaxing patches -- these were interesting. i'd never used this type of product before, so it took a few tries to even place them on correctly...and it still felt too close to my eye when i blinked... at first these felt a bit cooling. after a while, my skin felt itchy and warm, and by the 20 minute mark (when to remove them), i didn't feel like there was any difference.
• used one, gave one away
5. urban decay mini 24/7 lip pencil in ozone & gloss samples in failbait & bittersweet -- failbait is such a pretty color! i'm not 100% on this formula mostly because i'm not huge into glosses, but it's nice! i never really got around to using the lip liner. aside from sheer laziness, i don't know why i never got around to trying this item out. i definitely eventually will. but at the time of this posting, i've only swatched it on my hand a few times.
• bittersweet gloss sample was given away
6. indie lee brightening cleanser -- i only just recently opened this guy up and it's not too bad. i didn't really notice any brightening effect, but my face does feel clean when i use it and doesn't irritate it. the scent's not bad either, not super perfume-y like their CoQ-10 toner.

june

1. formula x for sephora mini in power source -- i love formula x, but this is not really my color, so i gave it away.
• product was given away
2. smashbox photo finish foundation primer -- looove lovve love this primer.
• product was finished
3. tre'StiQue mini shadow crayon in marimoto pink pearl -- this was an unexpected gem! i really enjoy using this. very comparable to laura mercier caviar sticks or loreal infallible shadow sticks.
4. jules and esther vitamin c serum -- i never got around to using this. i'll try to make a better effort in using this.
5. biorepublic skincare sheet masks in aloe rescue (revitalizing), cucumber breeze (soothing), and green tea (detox) -- like i said before, i probably won't be repurchasing these because of the cost, but the quality of the paper they used for these masks was really nice. for reviews of cucumber breeze & green tea, see my june empties post. for the aloe rescue review, see my december empties post.
• products were finished

july

1. tarte mini amazonian clay bronzer in park ave princess -- this is a really great product! i already had one, so i saved it to give away.
• product was given away as a gift
2. bella pierre mineral lipstick in P.I.N.K. -- while i really liked how this looked, i wasn't sure how often i'd be wearing it. so i gave it away.
• product was given away
3. eva nyc freshen up dry shampoo -- i only used this once because i couldn't find the one i had open at the time, but i liked it. i'll have to elaborate more whenever i get around to using it up.
4. ofra cosmetics bliss eyeshadow -- this is the most freaking gorgeous shadow/highlight ever. so freaking pretty and i love it!
5. jersey shore sun mongongo vanilla coconut cream lip conditioner -- pretty good lip balm, has the texture that i like, but the scent is really confusing to me. it smells as it says..but it's kinda crazy.
6. it cosmetics brow power universal eyebrow pencil -- i really enjoy using this pencil. i will say that the elliptical shape is a little weird from an application standpoint, but i really enjoyed the color and the spoolie on the other end.

august

1. doucee ultra precision eyeliner in black -- [worn in the waterline] this isn't quite as good as my favorite rimmel scandalEyes kohl kajal liner in black, but it still works similarly. it takes a little more effort to apply as dark and pigmented, but it lasts just as long. cost-wise, go for the rimmel liner.
2. marc anthony nourishing argan oil treatment -- this smells so yummmm. made my hair feel and smell great!
• product was finished
3. la fresh good night night cream -- this really was not very moisturizing to me. i only tested this on my hand and it was really weird and dried down too fast. for a night cream, you normally think of something heavier or feeling somewhat more luxurious...this was definitely not that.
• product was given away
4. hikari cosmetics lip gloss in merlot -- while i thought this formula was pretty nice, i'm not sure how i feel about this color on me. like it works, but i don't know... and since i'm not huge into glosses, i think this'll get more love elsewhere.
• product was given away
5. lord & berry ultimate lipcolor & liner in nude -- this is actually a pretty great mlbb shade for me. i'm not huge into using lip liners, but this one might be the exception. 

september

1. nyx x ipsy eyeshadow trio -- this is actually a pretty nice little set! i'm not huge into super dark eyeshadows, but the other two are just perfect!
2. thebalm put a lid on it eye primer -- this primer was ok. i mostly didn't like how wet the texture of it was.
• product was given away
3. formula x for sephora nail color in ignite -- as stated in my haul post, i already have a full size of this, so i gave it away.
• product was given away
4. glamglow flashmud -- i really enjoyed using this mask. whether it actually brightens your skin or not..i'm not totally sure, but it was still a pleasant experience.
• product was finished
5. not soap, radio the phoenix hand/body lotion (persimmon & plum scented) -- this is such a great scent! i loved using this lotion. it had the right consistency and absorbed pretty fast, but it still felt like it was working its "magic" without feeling sticky or tacky for very long.
6. la fresh hello. lip treat lip balm -- this lip balm, while it felt nice, chapped me. so sadly, i passed it off because my lips did not like something in this product!
• product was given away

october

1. theBalm meet matte hughes long lasting liquid lipstick in committed -- this is such a strange product. it does dry down matte, but my lips still stick together...? no. just no.
• product was given away
2. nourish organic pure hydrating argan face serum -- this product kind of weirded me out. i'm still not into the oil is ok on your face thing--even though, i should be over it. but i'm not....
• product was given away
3. emite make up professional slant tweezer -- these seemed only ok. and i have several trusty pairs of tweezerman tweezers, so i passed them off to a friend.
• product was given away
4. balanced guru scrub me body scrub -- i couldn't tolerate the scent of this..so i passed it off.
• product was given away
5. aurora gel effect nail polish in inky dinky -- tried this on my toes and it lasted about a week before chipping, which is kind of short for me..idk. i do like the color, but not too sure about the formula.
6. luxie beauty tapered blending eye brush 205 -- this is my new favorite fluffy crease/blending brush. i really want to get another!

november

1. trestique matte lip crayon in chile red -- this is not really my color or suited for my skintone, so i passed this off to a friend. i did think the formula was pretty nice though.
• product was given away
2. skin inc pure revival peel -- this was an interesting product. it felt like a weird gel that you put on for 10 seconds, then start rubbing in circular motions before rinsing off. my skin did feel a bit nicer and smoother afterward, but i'm not sure i'd be repurchasing this.
3. smashbox full exposure mascara -- this did nothing for my lashes. i am looking for volume and length, and this gave me a teensy bit of length and separation.
• product was given away
4. luxie beauty matte eyeshadow pan in aubergine (#290) -- this actually surprised me. i ended up enjoying using this in the crease as a dark grayish-purplish corner color.
5. jelly pong pong liquid gossamer -- this is a great product, only complaint is that the packaging is awful. this has a gel-like consistency but can blend, smooth, and dry very nicely on the skin. the packaging is awful because it's like a tube of toothpaste, there's no nozzle, so you can easily dispense like a month's worth of product on accident.

december

1. tarte smooth operator finishing powder -- i still have yet to open or use the one i had before receiving this one, but i went ahead and gave this away.
• product was given away
2. elizabeth mott thank me later eyeshadow primer -- this is actually a pretty good eyeshadow primer. dare i say it's comparable to urban decay or too faced?
3. rickycare by ricky's nyc classic 3D blender -- i actually ended up trying this out and i liked it quite a lot. i'm toying with the idea of repurchasing.
4. marc anthony coconut oil and shea butter deep conditioning treatment -- this was a really nice deep conditioner. not sure if it was really my favorite though.
• product was finished
5. pacifica power of love natural lipstick in nudie red -- not sure what was up with this product, but  i ended up giving it away.
• product was given away

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year in review: ipsy glambags 2014

 

hi guys! here's my year in review of my ipsy bags*! ~Lin-chan ^.~

january

1. mica beauty tinted lip balm in natural -- this lip balm was very meh and i didn't want to keep it. while a pretty color, it was not emollient whatsoever.
• product was given away
2. yaby liquid foundation in buff -- looks like a perfect color match for me, gives sheer to medium coverage. i'll definitely use this up but i think it's easier to buy foundations locally than reordering this one.
• product was finished
3. epice purifying exfoliant -- i really like this scrub. i'm really sad that it costs so much. >.<
• product was finished
4. proactiv+ mark fading pads -- these were ok, i feel like that continuous use would actually be more beneficial. they have a bit of a chemically scent to them.
• product was finished
5. briogeo don't despair, repair -- this was an ok conditioner; it felt more like a regular conditioner than a "repair"-ing conditioner. my hair didn't really feel all that different when i used it.
• product was finished

february

1. pop beauty plump pout lip gloss in fuschia freesia -- this shade's bright for me, but this gloss is fairly comfortable and not sticky whatsoever. it does need a somewhat frequent reapplication.
• product was given away
2. zoya nail polish in dot -- this polish is ok. i didn't particularly like the formula and how sheer and patchy this particular shade was
3. eyetini cordial cream shadow & base in violette -- despite how gorgeous this product is--when applied, the packaging is really cheap and it smells really weird, kinda plastic-y. i guess at the very least, it's going on your eyes, so you shouldn't be able to smell it after application. this shade kind of reminds me of clinique's cream shadow in rock violet.
• product was given away
4. skyn iceland fresh start mask with ice age mud -- this is a really interesting mask. there are two packettes: the blue clay mask and an activator gel. the blue clay mask looks and smells like toothpaste. seriously. texturally, it has small granules in it that you can feel while applying the mask. the gel looks and feels like a clear hair gel, and you apply this over the mask, massaging it in. it emulsifies, but not by a whole lot. and then you wash it off after 10 minutes. and i thought i was an ok mask, but it was too much work and the price isn't something i'm interested in.
• product was finished
5. jcat beauty eyelashes in EL13 -- i'm not huge into lashes..more like the couple times i attempted wearing any, i wasn't digging it and it felt weird. so these are getting passed off.
• product was given away

march

1. bare minerals marvelous moxie lipstick in get ready -- this is a really pretty color but it's not something i'd wear because of how pigmented my lips are and it's not within my comfort zone
• product was given away
2. be a bombshell shadow quad in bora bora -- i really like this quad! it's so pretty! and you can get very wearable looks or fun ones just from these four shades.
3. nicole by opi roughles polish in on what grounds? -- this polish was ok. it was kinda weird. like it looked like blue sandpaper. and it chipped like two days later. so it was a meh for me.
4. pacifica body butter in indian coconut nectar -- i didn't actually try this before giving it away; but i could smell it even with the seal on.. didn't want to take any chances and get a migraine from lotion. >.>
• product was given away

april

1. urban decay 24/7 glide-on pencil in black velvet -- this pencil is actually better than i expected. it stayed put for the most part throughout work-days and it was very richly pigmented and it stayed that way for hours.
2. dr. brandt mircrodermabrasion skin exfoliant -- this feels soooo nice. i love harsh exfoliants but sadface that this is sooooo freaking expensive!
3. elizabeth mott pop goes the shadow in champagne -- this shadow is only decently pigmented. it does take a bit to actually get it going onto the eye. definitely use a primer with this one. i loved pairing this shadow with the crease shade of wet n wild's walking on eggshells trio.
4. sexy hair root pump volumizing spray -- i decided to give this away; i don't really use volumizing products anyway. it smelled like hairspray and was kinda sticky-icky.
• product was given away
5. mary kay jelly lip gloss in teddy bare -- this gloss looks so weird on me. i really didn't like it. it wasn't bad in texture and it wasn't terribly sticky but the color was awful.
• product was given away

may

1. eva nyc therapy session hair mask -- this was a pretty good hair mask. the scent was nice and my hair felt really good afterward. i think the price is a little high for this, but if you can catch it on sale at ulta it'd probably be the best time to buy it.
• product was finished
2. pacifica mineral eyeshadow duo #2 in moonbeam & unicorn -- this shadow duo was only ok. it wasn't very pigmented and it was very patchy.
• product was given away
3. calvin klein endless euporea -- i'd much rather pick out perfume on my own than receive them. this was pretty nice, but not for me.
• product was given away
4. avène thermal spring water -- i really never used this. it's literally water in a can... i know it's far away, but i think i'll give it to my mom for her to use at jazz fest or something.
• product was given away
5. jersey shore sun sans tan anti-aging sunscreen -- it says "pure white" on the tube. and i didn't think that it meant, it will literally stay white and not blend into your skin. i'm relatively fair/light and i felt like it made me pale, i was sooo sooo many shades lighter than normal with this on my face.
• product was given away

june

1. be a bombshell lash out mascara in black -- i really didn't like the wand on this thing. it's similar to maybelline great lash. the formula was only ok too. and it smelled weird/old when i first opened it.....
• product was given away
2. marc anthony dream waves beach spray -- this product works fairly well in wet hair. i usually spray it on after towel-drying and scrunch up my hair every so often while it air dries. i likes it. used on dry hair, it didn't really do all that much.
3. nicka k new york shimmer eyeliner in blue -- this is a  really pretty eyeliner but between the unintentional bend in the silicone tip in combination with the formula, it just irritated my eyes. i couldn't use it. sadface.
• product was given away
4. nyx butter gloss in apple strudel -- i really liked this color on me. i don't really know what else to say about it aside from it's what you'd expect if you've tried any of their other butter glosses.
5. laneige bb cushion sampler packette -- this wasn't my favorite. the price point is extremely high to repurchase, and while the concept behind it is neat, the application sucks. and it only comes in three shades, which light was ok but not perfect on me.

july

1. bare minerals 5-in-1 bb advanced performance cream eyeshadow in divine wine -- this was pretty interesting. it comes out matte and dries shimmery. yes, counter intuitive, i know. it held up pretty well like a primer, but this shade was really dark for me if i used it alone. it's more of a crease color for me..
2. be-fine daily moisturizer with spf 15 -- the scent was way off putting for me, i hate the scent of sunscreen...coppertone kids..?....no thanks.
• product was given away
3. hang ten dark tanning oil -- as previously stated, i'm not into tanning period... but i still have it, i haven't done anything with this yet..
4. pixi tinted brilliance balm in unique pink -- this is actually really nice. i've been iffy about their products but i really like this one. it has a minty scent and feels very emollient and nice. this is supposed to be one of those pH custom color shades and compared to others i've tried this one is is more muted, versus a stark pink; it looks like a sheer peachy shade on me. 
5. wHet nail polish in facetious -- i actually really like this color. it didn't last super long on me though which was a bummer..maybe 2 days.....

august

1. urban decay perversion mascara -- see my review here. 
• product was given away for a friend to try; purchased full size
2. nicka k absolute lip balm in grape -- this lip balm is only ok. it doesn't last long, it's very thin and has lots of slip. glitter particles kinda transfer, but not really.
• product was given away
3. dr. brandt pores no more primer -- while an effective primer, i'm not keen on the medicinal-ish type scent it has..and definitely not the cost. way too expensive.
• product was finished
4. coastal scents forever blush duo in fresh & elegant -- i wound up buying the full size of elegant while it was on sale for $4 because i liked the sample so much; in addition to a few others >.<
• purchased full size of elegant and a few others
5. lord & berry silk kajal kohl eye pencil in black -- while it's a decent liner, i feel like rimmel scandalEyes in black is still better. it's blacker, darker, and stays put in the waterline much better than this pencil.
• product was given away

september

1. pacifica natural waterproof eye pencil in gunmetal/fringe
2. nourish organic moisturizing cream face cleanser -- i heard people didn't like how this smelled..except, i don't smell anything from the tube. it's an ok cleanser.
• product was finished
3. alterna hair care caviar cc cream -- this smells sooo freaking good. the only issue is that alterna products are generally expensive..boooo.
• product was finished
4. crown brush infinity shadow/crease brush (x2) -- i definitely wasn't a huge fan of the pointed "crease" side. like it definitely was super stiff like a pencil brush. the shadow side was nice but not my favorite tool for application.
5. hikari cosmetics lipstick in cabernet -- this is such a pretty color. it's a fairly dry lipstick that skips a little when applying. not very emollient.
6. extra: nyx bronze smokey look kit -- i didn't really devote any time to playing around with this set, but from my swatches it was hit or miss. if you're interested, get it on sale, not at full price.

october

1. ecru new york acacia protein bb cream for hair -- this has a non-descript scent and it's a fairly runny product, not cream-y at all. this product was all right, like i didn't really notice much of a difference while using it.
• product was finished
2. figs & rouge hand cream in rose berry -- while i really liked this hand cream, i'm not sure that i'd repurchase this because i would have to order it... 
• product was finished
3. jesse's girl mineralized baked shadow powder in kiwi shine -- i'm not a huge mineral eyeshadow fan, mostly because payoff always varies and i'm not one for wetting my brush and dabbing it in there. it's a pretty color though, but i didn't think i'd use it.
• product was given away
4. skyn iceland mini glacial cleansing cloths -- these are ok. i don't like the scent and they were overly saturated and foamy...eh.
• product was finished
5. starlooks lipgloss in guilty pleasure -- even though this is a pretty shade, i wasn't all for this product. i'm not a sticky gloss fan.
• product was given away

november

1. be a bombshell cosmetics eye base in submissive -- i didn't really get to try this out on my lids. it's similar in concept to a paint pot or color tattoo cream shadow. this one's very pretty and has a nice consistency.
2. elizabeth mott you're so fine liquid liner in glitterati -- i didn't even try the product. the brush tip is thicker/fatter and splayed more than i'd like.
• product was given away
3. jcat beauty wonder lip paint in red potion -- i didn't have much time to play with this product. it swatched beautifully and it looked great...until i started snacking and it came off all weird. it didn't really stain my lips or anything, it just kinda sat on them and faded into a weird ombre from me eating.
4. marc anthony oil of morocco argan oil volume shine hair spray -- i haven't used this yet, since i don't really use hairspray that much
5. temptu s/b highlighter in pink pearl -- i didn't get to play with this much....whenever i get around to it, i'll try mixing it in with my foundation and see how it looks.

december

1. tarte lights camera lashes mascara -- while i do like this mascara, it doesn't do that much for my lashes. it's a very natural separating mascara, but that's about it. i like my volume and length.
2. nyx butter lip balm in parfait  -- the color was just too pink for my taste. i do like my other butter lip balm in brownie though.
• product was given away
3. nourish organic renewing eye cream -- while i think this eye cream smells a bit strange, it is very hydrating in the under-eye area. will i buy this again? probably not because i still love tarte's maracuja eye cream.
4. cailyn cosmetics just mineral eye polish in orchid -- i actually really like this as an inner corner brightener and it pretty much goes with any eye look i do.
5. bumble and bumble repair blow dry -- i didn't try this out, i just passed it off to my mom. it had a chemically salon type scent to it
•  product was given away

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year in review: ipsy glambags 2013

 

hi guys! i thought i'd share how i felt about the products i'd received from this year's ipsy bags*. i actually only started my subscription in april, so obviously i can't give an opinion about the bags for january - march. ~Lin-chan ^.~

april

1. be a bombshell blush in sweet cheeks -- i really like this blush, as mentioned in my spring-summer favorites post.
2. mica beauty cosmetics eyeshadow in 72 earth -- i actually haven't really used it..
3. sation nail polish in of corset i'll call you -- this is a really nice pastel pink shade. i've only worn it once, but it was very nice after three coats. (notd post)
4. healthy sexy hair soy renewal nourishing styling treatment -- i think it's kinda meh. i like macadamia natural oil healing oil treatment better.
• product has been finished

may

1. mirabella shimmerati glimmer gloss in brilliant ruby red -- this is by far the most bizarre yet interesting packaging ever. on the front where the product is, it's the squishy clear plastic like any other squeeze tube gloss. so weird!! the applicator is similar to the tip on any squeeze tube lip gloss, angled with a hole in the center. this gloss feels great, not sticky, and balm-like. i'm a fairly neutral, sheer, or brownish lippie lover but this is a pretty flattering shimmery pinky-red. love it!
2. yaby cosmetics concealer refill in honey -- this concealer is a little too golden for me, but it felt like it had decent coverage.
• product was given away
3. zoya piaf -- pastel yellow with silver shimmer, from the lovely spring 2013 collection. while this color is probably flattering on other people, as a person of asian descent, yellow is the least flattering on my light skintone. 
• product was given away
4. pacifica island vanilla perfume roll-on -- this smells great! i probably wouldn't have picked up on my own since i've been having really bad migraines lately, but i love this! i'm definitely a vanilla person. i actually went and bought a set of minis in this scent for my cousin's xmas gift.
5. pacifica coconut crushed pearl bronzing body butter -- i'm not huge into tanning/bronzing products. after testing this on my hand, it's not too bad, it looks nice and it smells good, like any coconut scented product would.
• product was given away

june

1. nyx cream blush in cb12 bronze goddess -- i'm not all that huge into cream blushes, i think mostly because i'm impatient and powder blushes seem to be a lot easier to fix if i make a mistake. but i'll still give it another go sometime, just haven't been reaching for it enough to fully experiment.
2. starlooks lip pencil in k308 bare -- this shade is not me. this pencil, while matte, creamy and smooth...worn alone, gives me zombie lips. it's that pale, death-purple kind of shade on me. so while i'm not totally bashing this line of pencils or brand, this shade is a definite no.
• product was given away
3. j.cat beauty sparkling cream palette in sp106 volta -- this is basically glitter mixed with a clear, tacky base. i'm not huge into wearing glitter products, i prefer shimmery products. another thing i don't like about this is that the glitter is chunky,  like craft glitter and feels pretty rough if you're not gentle with it. while it's a pretty neat idea, it's not me.
• product was given away
4. cailyn cosmetics line-fix gel eyeliner w/brush in iron -- as the name states, it's a kind of gunmetal-ish black shade. this liner, once set does not budge. i rubbed and rubbed and it did not move. it does smudge when it is still wet and it is fairly difficult to remove, i used both a makeup remover wipe and an eye makeup remover pad and i still have a line on my arm! whatt. i do not advise using the brush that comes with it, it is a flat concealer-style brush and it's not super stiff, so even if you turn it sideways, you won't get a perfectly straight line. but it is super soft and you could probably use it for things...like concealer..if you want. this made it into my spring/summer favorites post.
5. chella ivory lace highlighter pencil -- this is a matte pencil, it's fairly creamy and applies very smoothly. this shade, on my skin, is a little bit too light, but if i blend it enough it'll work. i haven't been using it a whole lot. mostly, i'll apply it lightly under my brow and kinda rub it in to blend it.

july

1. bh cosmetics california collection eyeshadow sampler -- these shadows are pretty nice, the purple from the hollywood palette was a bit difficult to swatch, but the other two are quite nice. i'm not super interested in their matching full sized palettes, so i probably would purchase other palettes from them in the future, but not these three. 
• product was given away
2. pop beauty pouty pop crayon in coral crush -- this shade is really nice, it's pretty close to my yes/no pink borderline. it feels like a thinner version of a lip butter; it's very balmy. hubz didn't like how it looked on me (he thought it was too bright).
• product was given away
3. coola suncare mineral face spf 20 unscented moisturizer -- i'm glad i got the unscented one, i've posted several times on here that i hate rose oil/fragrances. it has a disguised sunscreen scent..which i don't particularly like, but it's bearable. i probably won't repurchase this though because it's kinda expensive (plus shipping), when i could just go to a sephora or ulta and buy my usual stuff (clinique city block or urban decay bb cream).
• product has been finished
4. sexy hair weather proof humidity resistant spray -- i'm not huge on using hair setting sprays, but this one's not too bad. doesn't have a super offensive scent and it holds pretty well. i like how quickly it dispenses and how fine the stream is, and how you can turn the cap to lock it (for traveling). it does give the hair a slightly sticky feeling if it's layered on a lot in places, but it doesn't make your hair crunchy--which is a plus. washes out about the same as most hair sprays.
5. nailtini straight up nail lacquer in mai tai -- this red/coral-y color is ok. it's not really me.
• product was given away

august

1. noya lip balm in cherry -- scent is very similar to chapstic brand; the actual product comes off transparent, and has no tint. while it feels nice, i actually prefer a more thick and/or plush type of balm if you guys kinda know what i mean... (faves: eos spheres, fresh sugar (brown tube)) it's ok, the times that i used it, my lips felt more chapped later on, so i gave it away.
• product was given away
2. michael todd jojoba charcoal gentle exfoliating facial scrub -- the scrub itself is a scary looking muddy-black charcoal color, and it smells like that herbally-aromatherapy kind of smell. like it reminds me of trips to aveda institute. i really like this scrub. i'm more of a harsh scrub type person, but this one still feels exfoliating enough and my skin feels great afterward. >w<
3. pixi beauty lash booster mascara in blackest black -- it's an ok mascara. i think it's waterproof and doesn't really want to come off when you want to remove it. my lashes did look a bit thicker but eh, i'm too lazy to remove it.
• product has been finished
4. chella dazzling dark brown eyebrow color pencil -- this shade was way to light my brows. 
• product was given away
5. pacifica alight multi-mineral bb cream -- i don't like how it smells like sunscreen--like it isn't strong..or maybe they used something to help mask the scent, i'm not sure. i had a really bad ALLERGIC SKIN REACTION to this product. suckyyyyy.
• product has been tossed

september

1. nyx eyeshadow in pure gold -- this is a really pretty gold eyeshadow. i haven't actually tried any of their shadows before and i really like how buttery soft and pigmented this one is. unfortunately, i haven't had time to play with it and wear it though.
2. elizabeth mott it's so big volumizing mascara in black -- it's more like a lengthening mascara than volumizing, for me. it's ok. you know how, when you pull the mascara wand out of the tube, there's usually some excess on the tip, well for this mascara, it's really stringy and takes a few tries to get it all back in there.. >.>
• product has been finished
3. cailyn cosmetics tinted lip balm in big apple -- passed it off to mom, she likes it and it looks a lot better on her since her skin's darker than mine
• product was given away
4. starlooks kohl eye pencil in obsidian -- i have so many eyeliners already that i'm between using, at this rate, i doubt i'll finish any of them. it's a little bit harsh at first contact but once it warms up a bit it glides smoothly.
5. freeman beauty facial paper masks in rose (brightening), and 2x starfruit (purifying) -- i've never used a sheet mask before, and this was an interesting experience. the mask itself is made of a one-size-fits-none. the eye holes are perfect circles, not ovals. so, on my face, the opening was good enough for all but 1/3 of each eye. the mask itself didn't really want to stay in place well whenever i moved any muscles in it--which i guess would be typical for something of this sort. after removing the mask and while pressing the remaining serum in, my face had a sticky feeling for about 10 minutes. after my face finished absorbing the serum it felt pretty good, but i don't think i'll try this again (and possibly other sheet masks) because the mask felt and looked pretty weird while i was wearing it. and i don't feel that i'm getting that much of a benefit by using it. and partially obscured vision.....meh.
• the rose one was given away, gave away the other starfruit one too. i did buy the missing blue agave one just to give it a try, but haven't used it yet.
6. em michelle phan sample card of out to lunch from the career life palette -- i haven't actually used this sample yet. see links to my reviews of the day life palette here. for christmas, i got the sampler of the career life palette, but it's a different quadrant than this card.

october

1. zoya nail polish in neve -- ugh! i love this color. so excited that they gave me a blue one, but i have so many blue polishes! ^_^ (notd post)
2. sexy hair blow dry volumizing gel -- i tried it once and it wasn't for me. i just don't like using hair gel anymore, i don't like that weird sticky feel while i'm blow drying it. 
• product was given away
3. bella terra cosmetics mineral shimmers in emotion -- such a pretty purple color in the pot, but when it's picked up by a brush, it's very sheer almost red-pinkish. if you pick up a clump of it and gently spread it on, it's gorgeous, but if you spread it out it sheers out.
4. coastal scents medium shadow brush -- seems like a pretty nice shadow brush. not as stiff as i like them, but it'll definitely be put to use. very soft.
5. la fresh oil free face cleansing wipes in refreshing scent -- smells citrusy. only ok at removing makeup. not that great. they're pretty expensive relative to more effective wipes, so i don't plan on buying more of these.
• product has been finished

november

1. em michelle phan pillow plush cushiony lip balm in sorbet -- no color payoff but feels great on the lips.
2. be a bombshell lip crayon in hot damn -- this shade is way too bold for me. it's kind of drying and drags when applying
• product was given away
3. pixi beauty bronzer in subtly suntouched -- this is a great corrector shade (and by that, i mean mistake-fixer) for my skintone, it's not really dark enough to be a bronzer on me..which i guess is why they named it subtle..?
4. nailtini nail polish in champagne -- lovely rose-gold type shade! (notd post) love it!
5. starlooks gem eye pencil in topaz  -- like i said in september, i have plenty of eyeliners right now. ~.~ gorgeous color though!
6. tresemme tres two extra hold hair spray -- haven't used it! (will try to remember to update this post if i do.)

december

1. be a bombshell cosmetics the one stick in girl crush -- this is so pretteh. omg. this is so buttery. i applied it with my fingers to my cheeks as a cream blush and it was major butter. built up, this shade is a really nice, natural pink on me (granted, it is shimmery). and sheered out, it's a very pretty highlight. on my lips, it came off as a pretty pinky-nude type shade. but it's not very long lasting or moisturizing and it clung to my dry spots. bleh. but that's ok, i'll primarily use this on my cheeks.
2. pop beauty bright up your life eyeshadow trio from the naturally bare palette -- i swatched these dry and i'm quite impressed. they're very smooth and more pigmented than i was expecting. you guys know i love my neutrals, and these shades are pretty. the left shade is very golden as a highlight and slightly more flaky/fall-out-y than the other two. the three shades together (used like a wnw trio) blend and work very well together. i like it a lot. still not sure if/when i'd buy the full size because i sort of have these shades already.
3. demeter snow perfume oil rollerball -- this smells like dirt, with a twist, to me. paul doesn't think so, but i think so. or realistically, anything earthy smells like dirt to me. this is supposed to have 'perfectly captured the scent of snow'...yeah, ok.
• product was given away
4. nyx extra creamy round lipstick in B52 -- very creamy but i'm not sure about lasting power. feels moisturizing but thin. this shade is in my comfort zone; it's a dusty rose. paul thinks it's slightly vampy on me but it's ok. it interesting because, holding the tube up to my bite lipstick in pepper, the nyx is lighter in color....but i guess the nyx lipstick is more pigmented than bite's semi-sheer lipstick, so maybe... regardless, i like this lipstick.
5. nicka k nail polish in NY139 ripe apple -- this thing was opaque in one coat. holy crap. i'm not into red polish, but this is very impressive.
• product was given away

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