Ipsy Glam Bag August 2014

Each month, subscribers will receive a beautiful Glam Bag with deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products. Members can watch and play along with the stylists with the same products that they are using. All for only $10 a month. 

When you sign up, you take a "beauty quiz" to let them know what you like. I guess Ipsy is kind of a social network-type beauty website, but I don't do all of that. There's also some sort of points system that I haven't quite figured out. You get 10 points for each review, but you usually need 1000 points to get some kind of bonus product, of which they only have 3 to choose from at a time. There are points for referrals too, but I don't badger my friends into signing up. If you would like to sign up, please consider using my referral link: http://www.ipsy.com/r/4q7r

This month's theme: Beauty Schooled

School is back in session (I can tell... LA traffic has gotten much worse! :p) so the theme this month is Beauty Schooled. I dunno... I don't think the items ever really fit in with the theme, just the bag. Speaking of...

I didn't think I would like this bag when I was seeing people's pictures online, but I really do. The problem with the rectangular ipsy bags that we've been getting, is that they're too small to actually be a makeup bag for me. They've all been flat and smaller. Since this one is round, it can hold a lot more products, and it's longer than the usual bags, which means mascara and eyeliners fit better. Yay! The only thing I don't like about this bag is that it kind of smells like a pool raft... that synthetic plastic smell. At least it seems waterproof then right?

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara: I was so excited to get this product! Everyone got either this or a purple eyeliner, and I'm allergic to all the purple eyeliners I've used lately. I really like this formula. I don't think it's quite "Bigger. Blacker. Badder." or whatever their tagline is, but it's nice. The brush is nice and fluffy and the formula is thick, but not clumpy. It's good enough for now, but I don't think I'll be buying the full size.

Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Lip Conditioner in Mandarin Green Orange Ginger: Very smooth and moisturizing. Interesting flavor that I actually really like. Orange ginger is not something I expected on my lips, but I like ginger. I have so many lip conditioners though! Guess I'll just have to put this into rotation.

J. Cat Beauty Flying Solo Eye Shadow in Half Naked: I love pale shimmery eyeshadow. And this is no exception. It looks more orange in the pot but is a very nice shimmer, almost highlight, color. The design of the package is really cool too. They've put an applicator underneath the color with a small mirror for ease when traveling. The mirror is too small to work really well, and the plastic hinge is very cheap, but they're thinking and I like that.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner: This is actually a duplicate from a previous Birchbox. I did like it, but I hardly use primers anymore since I finally found a couple BB creams that work for me. I might have to revisit it for days when I just want to use powder.

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk: This is also a duplicate item from Birchbox, from last month actually! But I guess you can never have too many dry shampoos. Especially because I just read a beauty hack that says you can spray your feet with dry shampoo before wearing flats and they'll stay dry! I don't know how well that works, but we'll see when I decide to stop wearing sandals.

Sephora Trip in ND

I stopped by Sephora while I was home in North Dakota just to see what they had. I ended up finding a few things (as I always do). 

I heard about Anastasia Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat from one of Birchbox's Limited Edition boxes and thought it was a great idea. It's a clear waterproof topcoat to put over your favorite mascara. I hate wearing waterproof mascara, and my eye doctor actually told me not to with my contacts, but every once and a while it would be nice to have. I used it at the lake before I rode on the jet ski (already had makeup on, then decided to go on it), also when I was flying back to LA (tears all around), and when I went to Disneyland for the day (82 degrees and sunny). It worked beautifully every time! I love that I can wear whatever mascara I want, then choose to make it waterproof if I need it. 

Then I remembered I had wanted to look for a new eyelash curler, since the one I was using was still from high school, and this would be perfect time to get one. I looked at a few different kinds but decided the Sephora brand would be just fine. I didn't need anything fancy. The thing I really liked about this is that it came with 2 extra rubber pads. It definitely curls better than my old one. 

The travel size section near the register always gets me. Though, this was probably one of the best things I've found in that section. I needed a new makeup remover for waterproof makeup, especially since I was buying the Anastasia Top Coat. I found this Make Up For Ever Sens'eyes Waterproof Makeup Remover. I'm not even sure what the full size looks like because I've never thought of looking for it, but I think I will have to buy it when this runs out. This stuff is great! It pumps out a creamy blue liquid that I smear over a cotton pad, then rub over my eyes. It's very gentle and doesn't sting. It even takes off my Benefit They're Real Liner!

Then I got a 100 point reward item. I love Benefit so when I saw they had this Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer, I had to get it. It didn't seem to work that great for my oily skin, but I've heard different reviews say there is a trick to applying this. I guess you have to do it in sections because it dries so quickly and it needs to still be a little tacky (not sure if that's the right word) for your foundation to stick and last. I haven't tried it again, but I will eventually.

It came with this nice cap over the top. So cute for the small size.

Comes with a decent amount of product.

Mini Ulta Haul

My first reason for going to Ulta again was to redeem my birthday gift. I wasn't getting emails for being a member, but my birthday was a month ago and one of the cashiers told me I could call to get a code. I couldn't miss out on a free full-size mascara! I emailed customer service and got a great reply saying they were sorry the emails weren't coming but here's the code. This year they were giving out CK One Mascara.

"Precision curved brush and patented lycra technology amplifies, shapes, and lifts every lash for maximum volume. Customized lash looks with a unique twist brush applicator. Select definition or volume with a twist of the cap in this all-in-one mascara. Delivers buildable full lashes that remain soft and supple stroke-by-stroke. Ophthalmologist tested. Dermatologist tested. Safe for contact lens wearers."

I love that the box is specifically for birthdays. Super cute!

But I had no idea it was one of the new(er) twist wand mascaras! (I didn't read the description before) That made me really excited!

I'm sorry the second picture is kinda fuzzy, but you can definitely see that the bristles squish together a little bit. I've discovered that it's better to start applying with the brush in it's squished form to coat all the lashes, then unscrew it to comb the lashes apart. I really like this formula. It does get a bit hard, but I'm ok with that. It's a nice dark black, and it doesn't seem to clump at all. The tube is also more of a matte soft material on the black part, which is different. It's originally $18 but if your birthday is still coming up, go sign up (for free) for Ulta's club card to get this for free and 1 point for every dollar you spend. 

I also decided to get the Mally Starlight Eyeliner in Midnight. 

"They glide on easily without a shadow base, yet last all day. These waterproof pencils are able to deliver a crisp line above, below, or inside the lashline for a perfect defined eye that lasts until you take it off."

I got the silver color in my Ipsy Glam Bag a few months ago and I really like how smooth it is. I wanted a new eyeliner that would last all day. Midnight is a very dark black that glides on smoothly. They say if you want to smudge it, to do it within 30 seconds before it sets. It's been great and doesn't move.

I finally decided to get the full-size Benefit Dr. Feelgood Balm.

I got the travel-size from sephora.com and loved it so much I wanted the large size for every day use.

"Mattify shine with our invisible, weightless balm that leaves skin feeling silky-soft. Fabulous for mid-day touch-ups... this makeup artist fave can be worn alone, under or on top of makeup. Contains Vitamins A, C & E to help smooth away the appearance of fine lines. Pat and smooth over makeup with its accompanying sponge. Or, simply wear it alone. Reapply with a sponge for instant mid-day mattification that's better than blotting papers! Works best when pressed onto the skin in a patting motion."

You can read my original review of the travel-size here. Basically, this stuff is magic! If you have super oily skin like I do, please try this! It does work the best for 'blotting' throughout the day but it works as a primer too. It doesn't smooth pores as much as other primers, but your skin will feel soft. It's one of the best oil control products I've ever had. The best way to use it is over makeup, with the sponge. Simply rub the sponge across the product, but don't pick up too much, then pat gently over your makeup where the shine is. Somehow this balm will instantly mattify. You can use your fingers too, but I think part of the magic is the sponge. Yes, the sponge will get dirty. It washes up really well though. It's nice to have multiple sponges if you don't wash your tools every day or every other day. I have lots of little triangles to go with my travel balm, then I just wash a few at a time.

I picked up this Physicians Formula Correcting Powder on a whim. I have a little bit of redness on my cheeks and around my nose, and my under eye area is always very dark. I figured this might help.

The brush is terrible. It's not soft and it's too tiny for the bottom of the container so it moves around awkwardly.

The pan was attached to the container with only this one little strip of "glue". Very cheap.

I took the strip of "glue" that stuck the plastic to the cardboard box and put that inside. It helped a little bit.

"3-in-1 Corrector, Primer, Powder. Versatile powder color corrects the most common skin imperfections, smooths skin texture and evens out skin tone. All colors blend together to create a perfect canvas finish: Pink brightens, Green tones down redness and Yellow adds warmth. High-tech Japanese formula delivers a natural-looking finish that won't cake, crease, or settle into fine lines." 

I think it helps a little bit. It's very light, but my plan was to put this on then put my usual powder over top. I haven't used it very much and I'm actually thinking I might return it since I've since found a better powder.

My (small) Sephora.com Haul

I've been bored at work. I'm working more hours, but lots of sitting around. So, less time after work to go shopping, but more down time to do some online shopping (probably not a good idea.) I've started to get really into Benefit's products ever since I went to the BenefitXBirchbox event and got to try a lot of their products in the boutique.

While browsing around sephora.com, I found a great deal. The Primping With The Stars box. It's full of sample-size Benefit products for $32. Benefit sells some of their sample sizes on their website, but they are usually about $8 a piece. So, the 6 products in this box equal about $48. I love their sets and this one had the most stuff I wanted to try. Benefit also seems to have really good sample sizes (except Fakeup, which I got in a Birchbox and it had barely a fourth of an inch of product to use. Yes, a little went a long way, but it was awkward trying to put it on. I always felt like I was going to scratch my eye with the plastic holding the product at the bottom.)

The box includes a mirror and tips for using each product.

Products include:
Stay Don't Stray Eye Primer

"This dual-action power primer works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers AND eyeshadows STAY PUT. Concealers don't crease, eyeshadows stay vibrant & true. Contains sodium hyaluronate known to hydrate and Vitamins C & E known to help fight signs of aging."

I got this in my special Benefit Birchbox and I really like it. I've never used an eye primer before, and I like that this has a tint. As far as keeping my concealer and/or eyeshadow in place... I think it works. It hasn't been helping with the creasing under my eyes though, which is what I was really hoping.

Some Kind-A-Gorgeous Foundation in Medium

"Our oil-free, cream-to-powder formula is silky, even perfection for your complexion! This foundation faker will even out your skintone with lightweight, sheer coverage, making it look chart-topping gorgeous!"

I tried this quickly to cover up a couple spots that had uncovered during the day and I really like the cream to powder formula. The color it came with was Medium, which scared me because I am definitely not a medium. But according to Benefit, I guess I am. It actually matched almost perfectly. It will be great after all the tanning I'm planning on doing this summer!

Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain

"Our original rose-tinted stain is kiss-proof, see-through color for lips & cheeks that lasts for hours. Naturally sheer & sexy on all complexions...it’s innocent yet provocative."

Scary product, amazing results! What? A liquid blush? I was excited and curious to try this product. It's one of the reasons I chose this kit over others. Benetint is one of Benefit's most popular items. I used it for the first time a couple days ago. I was planning on using it that day but forgot and put my powder on. I figured I'd try it and it really isn't for on top of powders :p Of course, it just took away all the powder in that area, but it left a great, natural looking tint. So I did it the right way the next day and it looks great. I'm definitely using this when I was just a little color (at the beach or something.) Warning: it does stain the finger you use to blend it. I tried blending with a brush and the brush soaked up some of the color... which could be a good thing. I also tried it on my lips, but very quickly and not using a lot of product and it just stained the inside of my lip to look like I'd been drinking cherry Kool-aid. Not the look I was going for. I will try again when I exfoliate and actually want to use the product fully.

The Porefessional Pro Balm

"Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! Apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup. Translucent, oil-free formula complements all skintones and helps makeup stay put. Contains a Vitamin E derivative, known to protect skin from free radicals."

Also very excited to try this product since I've been seeing it everywhere. It has a nice soft feel and you don't need much product to spread around your face. It seemed to work really well with my Hello Flawless powder foundation. I was still shiny halfway through the day, but I've pretty much come to accept that. My powder didn't seem cakey or that it melted away though.

Girl Meets Pearl Liquid Pearl for Face

"This soft, golden-pink liquid pearl luminizer features light-reflecting pigments to give your complexion an exquisite, dewy glow. It includes raspberry & chamomile, known for their soothing properties…and sweet almond seed extract  known to help improve skin firmness & smoothness. Pat it on over blush to highlight cheekbones with a pop of pearly pleasure!"

I haven't used this yet, because I don't need much help in the 'shine' department. But I'll figure out a time to try it. I love how these tubes have foil covers to prevent leaking.

They're Real! Beyond Mascara in Black

"They're real! lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts & separates. Our jet black, long-wearing formula won’t smudge or dry out. A specially designed brush reveals lashes you never knew you had!"

I got this as a sample for my birthday last year from Sephora (see below). While I did think it gave my lashes amazing length (though, for the record, my lashes are already really long), the formula almost felt clumpy after only a couple days of using it. We'll see if that happens with this sample.




I also found a sample size of Dr. Feelgood Velvety Complexion Balm. It was $9, but I figured that was ok seeing as how the full size is $31 and most reviews (the good ones anyway) have said that you don't need to use a lot.

Description from website:
"Mattify shine with our invisible, weightless balm that leaves skin feeling silky-soft. Fabulous for mid-day touch-ups... this makeup artist fave can be worn alone, under or on top of makeup. Contains Vitamins A, C & E to help smooth away the appearance of fine lines."

Wait. A balm to eliminate shine? That sounds a bit contradictory... but I'll try it. The people who like it LOVE it, and the people who hate it seem to either not have very oily skin, or don't understand how to use it. Smells lemony but kind of medicinal. The sponge is nice. I've read to PAT ON the product, don't rub if you're putting it on top of your makeup to soak up oil.

This stuff is magic! I have no idea how it works but it really does eliminate shine! I also put it on under my makeup as a primer one day so I swiped it a little bit. It doesn't seem to erase pores but it does make your skin smooth and it really does seem to help with the shine. I used my Hello Flawless on top (using only the brush that day) and my face really does seem less oily than usual. I really do like it as a primer. My face felt a little greasy, but it didn't LOOK too shiny, which is mostly the point. And if I want, I can just use the sponge and pat on my oily spots and bam! no more shine. For me, the sponge is essential for patting on top of makeup and soaking up the oil. The sponge it comes with can be cleaned easily, but I've also cut up some cheap sponges I bought at Target as replacements. I carry this with me everywhere.

Seriously, if you have super oily skin, give this a try. A lot of people complained that it was drying, but that's kind of the point. They must not have had as much oil as I do because it's perfect. If you're not sure, do like I did and buy the 'travel-size' from sephora.com. It's still $9 but it comes with a lot of product, and much cheaper than the full-size for $31.



I also got my free birthday present from Sephora for being a "Beauty Insider". It's free to sign up on the website and every year during your birthday month you can stop in and get whatever sample they are giving out that year, or add it to your online order. Last year I got Benefit's "They're Real" mascara and "Watt's Up" highlighter. I still use the highlighter. This year it was Make Up For Ever's Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick in N9 and Smokey Extravagant Mascara.

The lipstick is a very natural MLBB (my lips but better) color. For me, it's a little darker than my normal lip color but that's what I love about it. It's not very shiny, which is different for me. I feel like it stains a little bit too - a plus for me. It's very smooth and pretty moisturizing overall.

The mascara is ok. Nothing magical. The formula is smooth and didn't seem to flake or anything. The brush scares me a little bit. Personally, I think the fat end of the brush is too fat. It's uncomfortable. It's not particularly volumizing or anything, but it's a great travel size.

You ALSO get 3 free samples every time you order from sephora.com. They have about 9 or 12 samples to choose from, usually a lot of fragrances, to add to your order. I chose:

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector SPF 25+

Sephora Collection Super Supreme Body Butter

I have not used any of the samples yet but I will add reviews once I do.

Trying new makeup!

I received my Ulta catalog in the mail this weekend and was interested in the Tarte Colored Clay CC Primer in there. I looked at probably 20 reviews online because it's $35 and I wanted to make sure it would be something I would like. I don't wear foundation - usually just a tinted powder because my face gets very oily - and I tried BB cream for a while, so I figured this would be good too. I also like that Ulta has a 60-day return policy if you don't like a product - I'm in the trial phase with all of these products.

Here's what it does:

"Buff your way to complexion perfection with this revolutionary correcting stick. Infused with Tarte's new color-correcting Amazonian colored clay, this powerful, skinvigorating™ primer blends easily to help brighten skin, even skintone, blur imperfections, and neutralize redness and discoloration. Use this multitasking corrector before foundation as a color-correcting primer or alone as light coverage for an allover flawless look. Its antioxidant-rich formula delivers the perfect balance of color correction and coverage with a soft, matte finish."

So yes. There is the color, a lavender wedge for brightening, and a green wedge for correcting redness. It feels really soft and light on the skin. Lots of reviews said it doesn't cover very much, and they are correct but that's ok for me. I just want a little something extra to put on to even things out before putting my powder on. The BB cream I use sometimes has more coverage, but this is supposed to be a primer I guess. I feel like it did smooth my pores a bit and I *think* it's helping with the shine. Apparently my face hates LA because I haven't been this oily since high school... but it's not making it worse so I think that's a plus! I'm going to keep using it because it is really simple and quick to put on in the morning and blends really easily. 


While I was walking around Ulta, I saw a display with mascaras on it. My eyelashes are very long (have been since I was a baby, I've been told) but they're like the rest of my hair where they're fine and won't hold a curl. I've been looking for a mascara that curls and saw Tarte's "Lights, Camera, Lashes!" mascara.

I remembered seeing a youtube review on the 'Lights, Camera, Flashes' mascara, which is similar so I decided to look at it a little more. It is a 4-in-1 mascara that lengthens, curls, volumizes, and conditions. Perfect! I've only worn it for about a day and a half now, but I like it. I've had a little bit of irritation (like, a teeny tiny bit) but I'm pretty sure it's because it's about time to change my contacts, and I'm tired, rather than the mascara. I haven't noticed any flaking but I also haven't been paying attention to whether or not my lashes are still curled at 3:15pm since putting it on at 7am. I do know that my lashes look great with it on! I'm not sure how much better it is than the Maybelline mascara I've been using for much cheaper than the $19 I paid for this... but I'll keep it for now. I like trying new mascaras.


After walking around the store for probably close to an hour checking out all the new brands I've been learning about through Birchbox and Ipsy, I finally went to the check out and found something that someone set off to the side that I decided to try. It was the Benefit POREfessional Agent Zero Shine.

Well, first I asked the woman ringing me up if she knew anything about it and she said she used it herself (though, sometimes I feel like all employees at Ulta are supposed to say that, because another woman told me the same thing about the Tarte CC primer.) I figured I'd try it because my face has been very oily lately and this powder is specifically designed to stop that. What I love about it, is that it comes with it's own brush that twists out from the bottom and the cap doubles as a little pot to dump the powder into. The top also twists open and closed so no spilling powder everywhere! It's really nice for travel, or just taking to work. It looks tinted but blends easily and disappears right away. It also doesn't look white or ashy. I've also only used this for a day and a half, but I like it. I put it on my tzone after I put my usual powder on at 7am and a few hours later I ran the side of my finger down my nose and it seemed shiny already. Around 2pm I checked the mirror and my face actually didn't look that bad. I could feel it by touch, but it didn't look terrible. I did a touch-up just because. I'm usually not someone who brings makeup to work for touch-ups but this was so easy.

It seems like I can't find anything that will keep the oil at bay longer than half a day, so I could really just buy something cheap from the drugstore instead of paying $30(!) for the Benefit brand. I think I'll keep it and use it up and decide then.

*Update 4/8/14*
I decided to return the Tarte CC Primer. I loved how easy it was, but my face got so oily during the day. I mean, it gets oily a lot during the day but this product didn't seem to help it, or seem to make my other makeup stick any better for a "primer". I actually exchanged it for Benefit's Hello Flawless powder foundation. You can read that review here.