Saturday, February 17, 2018

february 2018 ipsy bag!

hey guys! my february IPSY BAG* (theme: unzipped) arrived a few days ago, and i'm here to give you my initial thoughts! ~Lin-chan ^.~
  1. luxie beauty 249 shading and blending brush -- i really love their 205 blending brush, and the fluffy side seems to be the same! so excited since this will be a great 2 in 1 travel brush.
    • repurchase: i don't see it on their site... 😕
      • biobelle perfecting primer facial mask -- sheet mask for priming the face? interesting... i've been super slacking on all the sheet masks for, you know, regular skincare purposes...i have soo many. anyway, i somehow acquired 4 which i think may have been in error.. most instagram photos only show two. but i had two two packs.. anyway, i'll try one out at some point and potentially pass along at least 1 of these.
        • repurchase: dunno, but probably not
          • pacifica beach crystals -- this is actually a cute palette. the shades are really nice, and i can't wait to try them on the eyes!
            • repurchase: can you..? but probably not.. too many eyeshadows.
          • trestique mini eye pencil in swiss chocolate -- this is a lot more pigmented than i was expecting. i'll give this a go, and i appreciate that they sent a dark brown, which will go with everything!
            • repurchase: undecided
          • mellow cosmetics matte liquid lip paint in tehran -- originally, i wasn't really expecting much from this lipstick. but it's actually really nice. super comfortable and no problems! i forgot to do a transfer test..but i think it'll be fine since it felt like it dried down completely and wasn't sticky.
            • repurchase: maybe!
            •  pink velvet and black lace ipsy bag -- this is very cute! definitely screams february / valentine's day!


              beach crystals palette (mars, raw power, prism, spaced out, faceted) swatched dry; tehran, swiss chocolate

              tehran
              *Affiliate Link.

              Sunday, August 27, 2017

              august 2017 ipsy bag!

              hi all! as mentioned in my sephora play! post, i was slacking last week, but i'm sitting down and going to get these posts done! anyway, here's my august IPSY BAG* (theme: good vibes only). ~Lin-chan ^.~
              here's my impressions:
              1. aurora pro cover up concealer in 49 balmy beige -- so it's funny how in my sephora play, i got a foundation that i'm not sure if it's too light or somehow magically the correct shade...this is the opposite. this seems darker than my shade, but also somehow magically correct? i'm not sure. i think i will try using this more and see if i can give you a better opinion.
                • repurchase: undecided
                  • leaders sheet masks in pore gone for good & what happened last night? -- ugh, i have soo many sheet masks now and i have been lazy about using them! these'll be used eventually, but no guarantees it'll be before my yearly ipsy post.
                    • repurchase: undecided
                      • theBalm balmVoyage vol. 2 eyshadow in kuwakaribisha -- i have been pretty content recently with receiving sample shadows from their various palettes as opposed to buying a full theBalm palette. is that crazy? and the shades i've been sent (by ipsy) are pretty much up my alley. this is a really pretty champagne highlight shade, and i'm not sure how much i see myself reaching for this particular product considering all the eyeshadows i already have, but if i had a smaller collection i can see myself using this regularly in the inner corner and maybe browbone.
                        • repurchase: the palette -- nah
                      • crown brush SS035 medium face contour brush -- this brush does not feel that great. the handle feels very cheap, you can feel the seams on the plastic, and super lightweight, making the brush feel unbalanced and not weighted properly. that aside, the bristles are very soft and dense. size-wise, i don't think this will be a great contour size for me, but i can see myself using this as a liquid foundation brush, if the bristles are up to that challenge.
                        • repurchase: not likely
                      • pacifica coconut blush duo in beaming & tenderheart -- i think i might pass this one along. pacifica makeup has always been pretty hit or miss for me. beaming (i'm assuming is the left one) is an okish color. not really a contour color but not really a blush either. and it's super light, you'd have to build it up. tenderheart (assumingly the right) is a nice light rosy shade, but swatches awfully patchy and i don't think it'll last very long. packaging-wise though, it's pretty interesting. it's your typical inexpensive but durable plastic, but the backside has a mirror on it, with no kind of protection to keep it from breaking. weird, right?
                        • repurchase: nah
                      • points freebie: margaret dabbs crystal nail file -- i redeemed for this with the intention of leaving it in my pen cup on my desk (in it's sleeve of course) so that i have a file easily accessible. testing it out, it's not too bad. i have had a few 'crystal' nail files in the past, and i still have mixed feelings on them, between effectiveness and durability. but if i'm not using it frequently, it should be fine.
                      • wild & free purple-pink ombre ipsy bag -- i'm not sure about it having 'wild & free' written on it, but the ombre colors are pretty.

                      balmy beige, kuwakaribisha, beaming, tenderheart
                      *Affiliate Link.

                      Monday, January 2, 2017

                      what i got for christmas!!

                      hi guys! MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR! here are a few things i got for christmas! hope you all had a great holiday week and are reluctantly ready to go back to school or work tomorrow! ~Lin-chan ^.~

                      (left) pandora ring cluster charm (retired), murano glass disney jasmine, anna, ariel, midnight effervescence, sterling silver stopper beads
                       -- my family ended up getting me two of the jasmine charm, so when i went to exchange one of them, they were having a spend $100, get a free item up to $75. so i was able to return the extra charm for store credit, and then purchase 3 new charms. sweet!
                      (right) tokidoki 2017 calendar, tombow fudenosuke calligraphy pens, pokemon moon, yeti-esque mug with my initials and metal straw..?, oven mitt with spoons and tabasco--such a cute and simple idea!
                      my grandmother still fills my stocking, which is funny because my uncle was telling his 8 year old daughter she was too old for grandma to keep doing that....lol, anyway, she usually puts snacks, candy and random things in there. this year, we got steripods, a cupcake divider thingy (split colored dough..?), and a brain teaser puzzle which took us about 5 minutes to break it apart, and like 5 hours to figure out how to put it back together. yeah... she did give us the solution, but you can only get so far with those...

                      liquid, powder
                      lamora beauty brush set, melodysusie makeup brush cleaning mat, treat jumbo lip balm in marshmallow cream, ecotools brush shampoo, ovonni brush tree (holds 26), ysl black opium perfume, trader joe's tea tree oil soap, becca glow on the go set in moonstone, pokeball bath bomb (there was a teeny murkrow inside!), pacifica deluxe travel kit
                      -- mini reviews!
                      - the ovonni brush tree. it's good but not the same as a benjabelle. the legs do not lock to the top part, so you have to be careful when moving the brush tree around. there are a ton of small holes in it, but the biggest ones are barely big enough for my sigma/lamora kabuki brushes. which sucks. anyway, moral of the story: for my needs, benjabelle's is better and i should just order their replacement legs or a larger one (i've dropped it twice and hot glued the pieces of the legs back together....)
                      - the melodysusie brush mat (no longer available on amazon??) is interesting. first off, it doesn't fit the sink i intended it for..which sucks. it's a smaller sink, so it's too big and i ended up getting the whole brush handle wet when trying to wash it. so i switched to a different sink. i'm not sure if the same would be true for the sigma spa mat, but every spot that has a suction cup underneath was annoying to use, like because of the lumpiness.., or the mat shifted or detached from the sink.. >.> it wasn't super awful once i got used to it, but i'm not a huge fan for these reasons. on another note, it did work well at helping me get the gunk out of my brushes.
                      hp pavilion 22cwa 21.5in monitor, black + decker toaster oven & pivot hand vac, jcp home blanket, covington anne booties (sears)
                      -- i bought these booties with some christmas money, but i'm on the fence about keeping the black ones... haven't figured out an outfit they work with. the grey ones are great though! i mean, the quality of the internal construction is kinda low..but if i'm wearing them, people aren't going to know, nor do the imperfections cause any discomfort. so i think they were worth the $15 i paid for them.
                      dorel living faux marble lift top storage coffee table (by the way, this is the couch we bought last year, mentioned it but didn't photograph it. those two pillows on the side came with it along with the two on the couch, but they aren't really our thing..)

                      Saturday, May 14, 2016

                      may 2016 ipsy bag

                      hi guys! today, my may IPSY BAG* arrived!! w00t! (theme: destination chic) and so far it's lookin like a winner! ~Lin-chan ^.~
                      here's my impressions:
                      1. smashbox x-rated mascara (.1oz--mini, ret. $22 for .3oz [$7.33]) -- i was very interested in this mascara when it came out, and i'm excited to try it!
                        • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                      2. pacifica natural mineral coconut eyeshadow trio in natural beauty (skinny dip, crush, lovely) (.07oz--near full size, ret. $12 for .1oz [$8.40]) -- it's not entirely clear which shade is which, but based on research online and the way it was written on the box, i'm going to venture to say that skinny dip is the top, whitish one, crush is the coppery one, and lovely is the plummy one. skinny dip is your typical chalky pearly whitish shade that's really close to my natural skintone. crush and lovely actually were the shockers here, considering the formula of the previous pacifica shadows ipsy's sent me. they're super gorgeous and pigmented without primer! so nice!
                        • likelihood to repurchase: not if it's this difficult to figure out what shade is what and they're not all in a nice set like this (these aren't currently sold together like this)
                          • hikari cosmetics shimmer bronzer in radiate (.25oz--full size, ret. $17) -- cheap and bulky packaging aside, this is a super pigmented product! i'm actually blown away by how pigmented each quadrant is, and swirrling them together is so pretty too! can't wait to try this out. this product is marketed for use as individual shades or blended together for both eyes and cheeks.
                            • likelihood to repurchase: maybe, might not have to
                          • eva nyc hungry hair oil treatment (.4oz--mini, ret. $20 for 3.38oz [$2.37]) -- i'm definitely very interested in trying this out. the scent is amazing!
                            • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                          • the organic pharmacy antioxidant lip balm (7ml--full size, ret. £12 [~$17]) -- i typically go for waxy, emollient balms that stick around for a while, and this ain't one of them. this is a very thin balm that gets immediately absorbed into your lips and i hate it. it has a light scent to it, and has a kind of vaseline look to it (not the feel!). i'm not a fan though.
                            • likelihood to repurchase: no
                          • ipsy bag -- i love that they sent out different color variations of this bag and that i got the blue one! the travel theme is super cute! not totally sure how i feel about the envelope style, but it's still functional.
                          • card with company info/discount codes (some codes are case sensitive)
                            1. smashbox.com: 15% off your first purchase, code: ipsy15 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            2. pacificabeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: Ipsy2016 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            3. hikaricosmetics.com: 30% off purchase + free hikari coconut eyeliner with purchase, code: hikari30 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            4. eva-nyc.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsyoil15 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            5. mellowcosmetics.com: 15% off purchase + free shipping at $40, code: ipsy15 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            6. crazyrumors.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipsy25 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            7. neutrogena.com: 20% off moisturesmooth color stick shades, code: ipsy (exp. 6/30/16)
                            8. glamglowmud.com: 30% off purchase (some exclusions), code: IPSYM30 (exp. 8/31/16)
                            9. amazon.com: 20% off NoTS 28 remedy products, code: nots20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            10. glamourdollsmakeup.com: 15% off purchase + free gift with purchase, code: whalesale15 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            11. bellapierre.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipsymay2016 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            12. vasanticosmetics.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipster30 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            13. epiceinternational.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipsy16 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            14. jellypongpong.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipsy25 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            15. slmissglambeauty.com: 25% off purchase, code: slipsy25 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            16. auroracosmeticsny.com: 10% off purchase, code: IPSYJUNE10 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            17. veramona.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipsy30 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            18. zjashop.com: 20% off purchase + free shipping, code: ipsy2016 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            19. peekbeauty.co: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            20. jerseyshoresun.com: 50% off purchase, code: ipsy50 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            21. drugstore.com: 15% off any eau thermale avene products, code: IPSY15 (exp. 6/15/16)
                            22. hanaleicompany.com: 30% off purchase, code: hanalei30 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            23. insprbeauty.com: 50% off purchase, code: ipsy2016 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            24. glambeautystore.com: 20% off purchase, code: IPSY20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            25. bigelowchemists.com: 20% off etat libre d'orange products, code: IPSY20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            26. formula1006.com: 20% off purchase, code: IPSY20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                            27. biossance.com: 20% off the revitalizer, code: IPSY20 (exp. 6/30/16)
                          approximate product value: ~$69

                          pacifica skinny dip, crush?, lovely? (swatched dry); hikari bronzer in radiate (tops, bottoms, swirrled)
                          *Affiliate Link.

                          Thursday, December 17, 2015

                          december 2015 ipsy bag

                          hi guys! my december IPSY BAG* has arrived! (theme: for you with love from ipsy) ....and unfortunately this one was a pretty big dud. the only thing i'm exited to try in here is the deep conditioner. maybes on the sponge and shadow primer. and no's on the lipstick and finishing powder. ~Lin-chan ^.~

                          here's my impressions:
                          1. tarte smooth operator finishing powder (.07oz--mini, ret. $33 for .32oz [$7.22]) -- this is going to get passed off to a friend. i've got one of these unopened already.
                            • likelihood to repurchase: nah
                          2. elizabeth mott thank me later eyeshadow primer (.17oz, ret. $20 for .35oz [$9.71]) -- this feels like your standard shadow primer. i'll have to test it's lasting power and how well shadows adhere to it.
                            • likelihood to repurchase: probably not
                              • rickycare by ricky's nyc classic 3D blender (ret. $10) -- for whatever reason (cleaning?) i'm not as into using beauty blenders or dupes.. dry, this one is larger and firmer than an official beauty blender. i am interested in trying it..considering how many sponges i now have and am neglecting.
                                • likelihood to repurchase: probably not
                              • marc anthony coconut oil and shea butter deep conditioning treatment (1.69oz--mini, ret. $7.29 for 8.4oz [$1.47]) -- this smells super awesome. i can't wait to try it out!
                                • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                              • pacifica power of love natural lipstick in nudie red (full size, ret. $9.99) -- can i first begin with, why does this smell bad? and by bad, i mean expired. what. color-wise, i'm not sure how much i like this. it's more of a pinky neutral on me, but i can kind of..in a small, minuscule way, see that this is nude with reddish in it. it has sheer to buildable coverage. formula-wise, it's a little moisturizing but meh. not totally. it dries to a near matte texture, but it can transfer..
                                • likelihood to repurchase: no
                              • red ipsy bag -- i'm not a fan. the shape is weird and it doesn't feel that great.
                              • card with company info/discount codes
                                1. tartecosmetics.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsydec (exp. 1/31/16)
                                2. pacificabeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: poweroflove (exp. 1/31/16)
                                3. elizabethmott.com: 30% off purchase, code: thankipsy (exp. 1/31/16)
                                4. rickysnyc.com: 10% off rickycare 3D blending sponge, code: ipsy (exp. 1/31/16)
                                5. beabombshellcosmetics.com: 30% off purchase & free eyeshadow quad, code: ipsy30 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                6. jerseyshoresun.com: 50% off purchase, code: ipsy50 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                7. jessesgirlcosmetics.com: 20% off purchase & free shipping on $20+, code: ipsy2015dec (exp. 1/31/16)
                                8. peonycosmetics.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                9. glamourdollsmakeup.com: 20% off purchase & 10% off when you reorder, code: ipsydoll (exp. 1/31/16)
                                10. crownbrush.us: 25% off purchase, code: crownipsy25 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                11. beaugachis.com: 20% off purchase, code: beautifulipster (exp. 1/31/16)
                                12. lather.com: 20% off purchase & free 2oz body moisturizer in bamboo lemongrass, code: ipsyhoney (exp. 1/31/16)
                                13. peterlamas.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsyd15 (exp. 2/15/16)
                                14. briogeohair.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                15. kloraneusa.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsycornflower20 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                16. acureorganics.com: 20% off purchase & free shipping on $25+, code: ipsydec2015 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                17. margaretdabbs.co.uk: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                18. modelcocosmetics.com: 20% off purchase & free shipping on $39+, code: ipsy20 (exp. 1/31/16)
                                19. skinn.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsyskinn1215 (exp. 3/15/16)
                                20. befine.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy (exp. 1/31/16)
                                21. chrislie.com: buy any baked face product, get one free, code: bakedfacebogo (exp. 1/31/16)
                                22. itcosmetics.com: 20% off $25 purchase + free shipping, code: itlovesipsy (exp. 1/31/16)
                              approximate product value: ~$38.39


                              nudie red, shadow primer

                              left: dry, right: wet (sorry i neglected to take wet and dry photos with something to scale..and the same beauty blender......)
                              *Affiliate Link.

                              Friday, January 16, 2015

                              january 2015 ipsy bag


                              hi guys! i finally got my january IPSY BAG* today! the postman didn't bother dropping it off yesterday for some reason.......... (theme: thinking of you) ~Lin-chan ^.~

                              anyway, onto my impressions.
                              1. bellapierre shimmer powder in celebration (2.35g--full size, ret. $14.99) -- omg this is such a gorgeous gold. i'm not totally into loose eyeshadows--mostly because i'm impatient.
                                • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                              2. elizabeth mott all over shadow brush (full size, ret. $9.99) -- this is a really nice brush, nice and soft. though i'm not sure about it being pink...
                                • likelihood to repurchase: nah, because i'd have to order it.
                                  • la fresh be good. good day. day moisturizer (.05oz--mini, ret. $40 for 1.7oz [$1.17]) -- 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.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: no
                                  • pacifica natural mineral coconut eye shadow in ethereal (.08oz, ret. $???) -- i'm surprised. this is actually a good product. the duo that i got a while back was awful. the pigmentation was garbage and it was just terrible. but this. this is really nice. i like the shade and the formulation, it's not chalky or anything. now, it's not as amazing as a high-end shadow either, but it is much better than i was expecting.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                                  • probelle nail polish in into the blue (.5oz--full size, ret. $6) -- i really like the color of this polish, but it's not super unique and the formula seems ok. i'll have to actually wear it and try it out sometime..
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: nah
                                  • blue and white ipsy bag -- i love how one side is blue and the other is white, and how there's the orange zipper and interior for contrast!
                                  • card with company info/discount codes
                                    1. bellapierre.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy2014 (exp. 2/1/15)
                                    2. elizabethmott.com: 50% off purchase, code: ipsybrush (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    3. lafreshgroup.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipsyjan15 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    4. pacificabeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: newbeauty (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    5. pro-belle.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    6. astridanaturals.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsy15 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    7. coastalscents.com: 20% off purchase, code: liner25off (exp. 3/5/15)
                                    8. heyhoney.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 3/31/15)
                                    9. hikaricosmetics.com: 30% off purchase, code: hikari30 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    10. jcatbeauty.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipsyjcat (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    11. jouercosmetics.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipster25 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    12. juicebeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy2015 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    13. lashfood.com: 25% off purchase of 1 phyto-medic eyelash enhancer, code: ipsy20 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    14. malinandgoetz.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsy15 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    15. mannakadarcosmetics.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy20 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    16. nourishorganic.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipsyeye30 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    17. realtechniques.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsy15 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    18. teadorabeauty.com: 35% off purchase, code: ipsy35 (exp. 2/28/15)
                                    19. velvet59.com: 50% off any velvet rose lipgloss, code: 50offvelvet (exp. 2/28/15)
                                  approximate product value: ~$32.16 + pacifica shadow



                                  etherial & celebration (swatched over milani eye primer); into the blue

                                  *Affiliate Link.

                                  Thursday, September 18, 2014

                                  september 2014 ipsy bag


                                  hi guys, lookie what came in yesterday! my september IPSY BAG*! (theme: street style) i also redeemed 1000 ipsy points for a nyx bronze smokey look kit. did y'all know that ipsy points expire?! seriously, you gotta use 'em or lose 'em! because i lost some without knowing they expire and I wasn't very happy... ~Lin-chan ^.~

                                  also, somehow i was sent a second crown brush instead of a pacifica eyeliner -- which i'm totally cool with. if that eyeliner is anything like that eyeshadow duo they sent us a couple months ago, they can keep it!

                                  here's my impressions:
                                  1. pacifica natural waterproof eye pencil in gunmetal/fringe (.026oz--mini, ret. $11 for .1oz [$2.86])
                                  2. nourish organic moisturizing cream face cleanser (1oz--mini, ret. $13.99 6oz [$2.33]) -- i heard people didn't like how this smelled..except, i don't smell anything from the tube. i'll have to update later on how i think of it.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: probably not
                                  3. alterna hair care caviar cc cream (.85oz--mini, ret. $25 for 2.5oz [$8.50]) -- i'm interested in the bb and the cc everythings, but cc for your hair? that's totally unnecessary.. >.<  i do like the scent, but of the other alterna products i've tried, i definitely love their scents. i'll have to update later on how i feel about it when i use it.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: nah
                                  4. crown brush infinity shadow/crease brush (ret. $6.99 ea) -- the pencil/crease side is pretty stiff, and i think it'll work out with how i'll use it. the shadow side is a little more flexible than i like, and it's a bit large for my eyes.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: nah
                                  5. hikari cosmetics lipstick in cabernet (3.8g--full size?, ret. $13) -- this is such a pretty color. it's not my style, but i think it's something that does compliment my skintone. texturally, it's a slightly drier than i'd like but it works. this is a shade that definitely needs a lip liner or an invisible one.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: nah
                                  6. gray ipsy bag with studs -- i love this bag. it makes me want to go buy studs to put onto all the things.
                                  7. extra: nyx bronze smokey look kit (ret. $12) -- these shadows are kinda hit or miss. the matte ones aren't as pigmented, but the shimmers are nice. the glosses were unexpectedly pigmented, i was impressed. 
                                  8. card with company info/discount codes
                                    1. pacificabeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: fallbeauty (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    2. nourishorganic.com: 30% off any nourish organic facial product, code: ipsy30 (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    3. alternahaircare.com: 20% off purchase & free shipping, code: ipsy20 (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    4. crownbrush.us: 30% off $25 purchase, code: crownipsy30 (exp. 12/31/14)
                                    5. hikaricosmetics.com: 30% off purchase, code: hikari30 (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    6. nyxcosmetics.com: 35% off proof it shadow primer, code: fallproof (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    7. avon.com: 20% off $50 purchase, code: daring (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    8. beabombshellcosmetics.com: 30% off purchase & free coco delight lip gloss, code: ipsy30 (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    9. beautywithoutcruelty.com: 15% off purchase, code: cudwdfaa (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    10. briogeohair.com: free shipping, code: ipsysep14 (exp. 10/15/14)
                                    11. cailyncosmetics.com: 20% off purchase + 2 free deluxe samples of pure lust lip tint, code: ipsygift (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    12. harvebenardbeauty.com: 50% off purchase, code: hpbipsy (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    13. harveyprince.com: 30% off purchase, code: harveylovesipsy (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    14. leeanni.com: 15% off purchase, code: ipsy9 (exp. 10/31/14)
                                    15. mitchellandpeach.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsy22 (exp. 10/15/14)
                                  approximate product value: ~$33.68 37.81 + 12


                                  nyx bronze smokey look kit, shadows swatched over milani eye primer

                                  cabernet lipstick

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                                  Sunday, May 18, 2014

                                  may 2014 ipsy bag


                                  hi guys, so may's IPSY BAG* (theme: beauty's fresh picks) has arrived! and i'm not super impressed nor am i totally happy about this bag. i'm excited to try some of the items, while others..i'm certain should not have been in there based on my quiz. and that defeats the purpose of the quiz. ~Lin-chan ^.~

                                  here's my impressions:
                                  1. eva nyc therapy session hair mask (2.03oz--mini, ret. $14.99 for 16.9 oz [$1.80]) -- i'll have to let you guys know later about this one. the only turnoff thus far is that the scent is kinda strong. but it does seem like a nice and thick deep conditioning cream
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: maybe
                                  2. pacifica mineral eyeshadow duo #2 in moonbeam & unicorn (.07oz, ret. $14 per palette [$3.50]) -- these shadows could have been good but they're not. they're pretty chalky upon first swatching. and they're not all that pigmented either. i'll play around a little more with these, but idk about this...
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: no
                                    • product was given away
                                  3. calvin klein endless euporea (.1oz--mini, ret. $69 for 2.5oz [$2.76]) -- so, on my quiz, fragrance is deselected. wtf. the main issue with this is that i don't want perfumes and the like because of my migraines. i'd prefer to pick them out myself. the scent's not bad, but it smells more mature and older than what i go for..and by older, i mean not quite but approaching grandma.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: no
                                  4. avène thermal spring water (1.76oz--mini, ret. $18 for 10.58oz [$3]) -- what is this stuff?? i'm so confused. is it like those cans of evian water/spray thingies? it has no scent..because it's spring water..i guess? so weird.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: no
                                  5. jersey shore sun sans tan anti-aging sunscreen (.5oz-- mini, ret. $40 for 2oz [$10]) -- this is so freaking expensive to repurchase, like really??? it doesn't really have a scent to it which is nice; no usual sunscreen scent. it does seem to have a slight brightening effect.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: no
                                  6. white ipsy bag with green leaf design -- the pattern is only on one side and the bag itself has an ecofriendly type feel to it...if that makes any sense whatsoever.
                                  7. card with company info/discount codes
                                    1. eva-nyc.com: 65% off your purchase, code: ipsy (exp. 6/15/14)
                                    2. pacificabeauty.com: 25% any purchase, code: ipsybeauty (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    3. drugstore.com: 15% off any avene product, code: ipsy15(exp. 6/14/14)
                                    4. jerseyshoresun.com: 30% off full size of sans tan anti-aging sunscreen, code: ipsy30 (exp. 6/15/14)
                                    5. hangtensunscreen.com: 25% off purchase, code: ipsy2014 (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    6. toofaced.com: 25% off purchase, code: bronzer25 (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    7. balancedguru.com: 20% off purchase, code: nofrizz20 (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    8. freemanbeauty.com: 55% off of bare foot better in the buff set & free shipping, code: buffbabe (exp. 7/31/14)
                                    9. booboocoverup.com: 25% off purchase, code: rmkg9ty7 [not sure if that's unique or not...] (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    10. coastalscents.com: 25% off purchase, code: brush25off (exp. 5/31/14)
                                    11. dermae.com/ipsy: 30% off purchase, code: ipsy0514 (exp. 7/31/14)
                                    12. lafreshgroup.com: 30% off purchase, code: ipsylove30514 (exp. 6/30/14)
                                    13. lulublossom.com: 15% off purcahse, code: ipsy15 (exp. ???)
                                    14. meebeauty.com: 30% off purchase, code: ips30 (exp. 8/31/14)
                                    15. nailtini.com: 50% off of $12+ purchase & free eyeliner, code: ipsyspring (exp. 7/10/14)
                                    16. olivenaturalbeauty.com: 20% off & free gift with purchase, code: oliveipsy (exp. 7/15/14)
                                    17. purlisse.com: 30% off & free gift with purchase, code: ipsy30 (exp. 6/15/14)
                                  approximate product value: ~$21.06


                                  unicorn & moonbeam -- swatched dry

                                  the really bizarre insert that came with the avène spray...

                                  *Affiliate Link.

                                  Friday, March 14, 2014

                                  march 2014 ipsy bag


                                  hi guys! my march IPSY BAG* has arrived! (theme: destination beauty). and it's actually mid-month this time! woohoo! ~Lin-chan ^.~

                                  ps, i'm still working on that eyeliner comparison post. i haven't had time to write it up and i feel like i need another round of testing.

                                  here's my impressions:
                                  1. bare minerals marvelous moxie lipstick in get ready (.05oz--mini, ret. $18 for .12oz [$7.50]) -- i'm kinda glad i got this lipstick instead of the moxie gloss in rebel..because i already have and love the gloss and this gives me a way to try other bm products. (i swatched the rebel gloss below too) i like the way this lipstick feels, but i'm not too keen on how the color looks on me. my lips are fairly pigmented by themselves, so it's like a bright pink-berry on me. i typically prefer to stick to lippies close to my natural lip color or ones that are relatively sheer.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: not this shade, but probably others
                                    • probably will pass off to a friend
                                  2. be a bombshell shadow quad in bora bora (4.8g--full size, ret. $16) -- if i had a choice, i probably would have picked the madrid set, but this one is so pretteh omg. these were fairly pigmented when i went to swatch them all. and actually, they didn't totally want to remove with a simple cleansing wipe! so they're probably going to stay put pretty well! the names of the shadows are written on the box, not the back of the compact, but they are: (top) starlet, bora bora, (bottom) rock bottom, risky business.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: maybe (i have so many shadows already)
                                  3. nicole by opi roughles polish in on what grounds? (.5oz--full size, ret. $8) -- i love how they sent my favorite color. i'm still iffy about all these textured polishes..they're kinda meh to me.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: not this collection, but other polishes probably
                                  4. pacifica body butter in indian coconut nectar (2.5oz--ret. $18  for 8oz [$5.63]) -- i can smell this through the seal. it's really nice but i don't know that i'd necessarily want to wear this. it's a sweetened coconut, sorta floral but not totally scent.
                                    • likelihood to repurchase: maybe others
                                    • probably will pass off to a friend
                                  5. white ipsy bag with multicolored designs -- this bag is kinda meh. i'm not totally sure how they think this pattern has something to do with traveling, but ok. kudos for teaming up with an artist in making it though.
                                  6. card with company info/discount codes
                                    1. bareminerals.com: [unique code]
                                    2. beabombshellcosmetics.com: 40% off purchase & free fuschia lip crayon, code: ipsy40 (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    3. pacificabeauty.com: 20% off purchase, code: ipsygirl (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    4. nyxcosmetics.com: 25% off butter lip balm, code: ipsybb (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    5. chella.com: 25% off purchase, code: eyeliner (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    6. dermstore.com: 15% off klorane purchase, code: ipsy (4/30/14)
                                    7. pixibeauty.com: 25% off purchase & free ship after $50, code: flawlesspixi (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    8. misshaus.com: free gift with purchase, code: ipsy (exp. 4/15/14)
                                    9. vitaliberata.com/ipsy: buy pHenomenal 2-3 week tan lotion & get 3 free gifts & free shipping, code: ipsy (4/30/14)
                                  approximate product value: ~$37.13



                                  rebel, get ready, bora bora quad: starlet, bora bora, rock bottom, risky business (swatched over ud original primer potion)

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