IPSY GLAM BAG 🤸🏻‍♀️ JANUARY 2018 🤸🏽‍♀️

IPSY

GLAM BAG

JANUARY 2018

January's bag is all about getting up with your game face and showing off your sporty side. To be fair, it wouldve helped the theme better if there was waterproof makeup included due to the whole sporty sweaty theme. As usual there are 5 products in the bag. 

1. Luna Cosmetics eyeshadow in Juliet.

I personally like their pressed shadows beter than their stick shadows because there is much more pigmentation and it is easier to blend with other shadows too. Juliet is described as a shimmery pink in the website. Its a light peachy pink shade. Looks wearable as a soft highlight too. This is smooth to the touch and easily blendable due to the light colour.

2. Nyx lip lingerie in Satin ribbon.

This used to be quite popular when it first came out few years ago because nyx was one of the most affordable brands you can get for a liquid lipstick (apart from colourpop.) However there is always the rise & fall of new launches, and as compared to the soft matte lip cream(SMLC), this one is much more matte and drier to the touch after application. But that also means that this lasts longer than the SMLC. This came sealed in the plastic so I won't be swatching this as i have tried their lingerie line and i do not like the end texture. Hence im giving this away but for the curious minds out there here is a photo swatch from my fav youtuber (beautywithemilyfox) swatcher:

They are all really pretty shades of nudes with different undertones. 

3. Cake heavy cream body butter balm by Cake beauty. 

This is just the cutest brand and packaging ever for a body butter, to receive this in my january bag seems to be spot on as i reach my third trimester and need to stock up on as much lotions and moisturiser that i have to prevent any new stretch marks forming. This smells super delicious exactly like vanilla butter if you're into the sweet stuffs. Its also vegan and cruelty free! Keeps the skin moisturised & soft. Great trial size to sample on too. 

4. City color Contour palette. 

;

City color has some of the most affordably priced products ever for a drugstore cosmetics brand. Some of their products like the lipsticks are meh, but there are some good reviews for their powder products. This one in particular has a decent sample size that wont run out after one application. Product came sealed so this is another item that i will not be swatching. Hence im unable to say on the pigmentation.

5. Briogeo Scalp Revival Shampoo.

Due to my dreads, i have a hard time testing this out. This is infused with charcoal and coconut oil, smells very minty and clean. It also micro exfoliates, im pretty sure this would be a really satisfying shampoo after i remove the dreads as there will be alot to cleanse. This would be really helpful so im keeping it on hand until the day comes.

Overall i feel like I didn't get to try much new things from Ipsy this month. The nyx lipstick was nice but i have already tried it and wasn't much of a fan. The contour powder, useful but i still have a ton of bronzers to try. The briogeo shampoo, i love the idea but it will be on hold until i remove my dreads. However, i do love the cake body butter balm and the luna eyeshadow. So this month is half2 for me. 

SEPHORA PLAY BOX 🎉 JANUARY 2018 🎉

SEPHORA

PLAY BOX

JANUARY 2018

Here are the product information from the info sheet:

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip gloss in Kristen.

For a lip gloss i like the deluxe small size received as i know i won't tend to use up too much of gloss as compared to matte lipsticks. The applicator is long & flat on both sides hence one dip is enough for top and bottom lip coverage. 

Kristen is a lovely nude brown that works way better than a nude pink for light-med asian skin tone. This is a gloss shade that i won't be scared to wear for a natural look. It is non sticky and last even after i ate a burger the remnants of the gloss was still on the lips tho the colour was almost gone. 

2. Smashbox Primerizer (prime + moisturizer).

This is a new formula by Smashbox in the form of a primer + moisturizer. Infused with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. For those who are familiar with smashbox's photo finish primer or radiance primer, this is of the same photo finish series but minus the all silicon formula. If you have clogged pores or drier skin i think this would be a game changer. 

However, i dont particularly like the glass it comes in, because it is hard to reach into the product as the high viscosity of the formula does not flow out easily when tipped out. Perhaps if there was a dropper or if its a squeeze tube instead it would have been better. This helps to apply makeup on better than the all silicon formula which tends to feel slightly greasy if too much is on. My makeup also seems to last longer on the cheeks, tho at the nose area it still gets slightly oily after waiting an hour in an air con room for an appointment.

3. Fresh Rose Floral Toner.

Rose water toner is apparently quite a popular product to calm the skin, this one from Fresh works the same way. I have normal combo skin but when applying this toner (sample is a bottle, full size is spray) it leaves a warm heat on my face instead of calming the redness that was popping out on my forehead. There is no alcohol in the ingredients list, however, it does feel much more stinging than the current toner im using which is innisfree's jeju toner. Hence im passing on this for now.

4. Clinique Pep start eye cream.

This eye cream claims to diminish eye bags, puffiness and make you look more awake in 3 seconds. On the first application i notice there was no scent at all so if you are sensitive on the eyes this is good because there is no irritating scent. Tip is small and its easy to control amount of product squeezed. I do not have very obvious line or wrinkles under the eye, nor do i have very bad eye bags or discolouration underneath it. Hence first time applying it feels like a normal moisturiser and i do not see any visible effects. But it is lightweight and non greasy, very easy to apply under makeup and does not interrupt my makeup routine. 

5. Glamglow Supercleanse cream to foam cleanser.

I love receiving Glamglow products as its not that easy to find this elsewhere except for Sephora stores in Singapore. So getting to try this out first is the best way to find out what works for me. This has a charcoal like greyish colour with a minty smell. When foamed up on the face there is a cool mint feel, which is nice when you think of cleansing. It removes makeup leftover and oiliness. Doesnt end with a tight feel, so keeps it clean and non drying. 

6. Briogeo Don't despair, repair! Deep conditioning hair mask. 

Sephora gave a 11.8ml sachet sample that can probably be used twice for med length hair. I have reviewed this before when i received it in the Allure box deluxed size tube. It works awesome! Doesnt dry out the hair after the deep cleanse and keeps hair smooth and smelling nice throughout the day. 

Overall January's box is a good jump start into the year, and here's also a good reminder from the info sheet of this month: the beauty shelf life of products!

Starting the new year, don't forget to do some cleaning & toss out whats been sitting for far too long now. 😉

BOXYCHARM 🕶 SEPTEMBER 2017 🕶

SEPTEMBER 2017

'Boxy baddie'

September's box came with a surprise of 6 items which is quite alot of products for a $21USD subscription box hence definitely a value for $$ box this month! 

1. Briogeo Don't despair, repair deep conditioning mask.

I love the briogeo haircare series, they are one of the few haircare brands that really do work well even from the different ranges I've tried previously from them. Leave on for 10-15mins and rinse, this leaves a overall healthy shine after.

2. M.A.C cosmetics eyebrow pencil in Lingering.

It's not every month that you get a high end brand like Mac appearing in your budget beauty box so this is very exciting to receive! Lingering is a dark brown shade good for brunettes or black hair beauties so it blends well in colour. The twist up pencil is super convenient so no sharpening needed. Pigmentation wise is dark and glides on well without tugging. Easy to brush and blend out harsh lines too. Love this product as its also full sized! 

3. bareMinerals perfecting face brush. 

Another full sized item that is unique and different from oh all the other foundation brushes in the world. This brush has a special dome shape reservoir in the middle so that you can drop your foundation into the pit and control what you put on your face. The brushes are soft and packed so stippling motion needs to be applied to spread evenly. So far i actually love the way it applies foundation, however the inner pit is harder to clean off the seeped through foundation liquid as it is quite dense and tight. 

4. PÜR Soiree diaries eyeshadow palette.

Packed with 12 shades of neutrals, this is the palette you need to create Everyday eye looks. You can still use the darker shades to wear for the night. I was super happy to receive this because you can't go wrong with neutral eyeshadow shades especially a palette with wide spectrum like this one. I love the shimmer satin shades below. Here are the swatches! 

One swipe coverage, the mattes are not too chalky and there is minimal fallout when tapped with a brush, and the shimmer glides on really well and pigmented. Love this palette! It is also currently oos in the website. 

5. Colourpop ultra satin lipstick in Strip.

This is a swatch found online on google!

As i have not swatched the shade yet because i think it wouldn't suit me well. However i have lots of colourpop's ultra satin lippies and most of them carry the same formula & consistencies. The USL are very pigmented but does not dry down to a super matte appearance, it remains creamy throughout the day and appears somewhat a bit semi matte. So for dry lips this works even better than the UML, however they do transfer to straws and cups fyi. 

6. Studio makeup luminous loose blush. 

Ive never tried a blush in loose form before as i always feared that it will fall everywhere and leave pink stains on things. So i poked only half of the holes on the sifter so it wont dispense too much product out. This luminous blush is in a soft peachpink shade and not too bright for everyday wear, there is very slight shimmer in the particles. Pigmentation wise is surprisingly quite good and just a few dusting is enough to show colour on the cheeks. I'm impressed with the blush and i know it will last me quite long for the quantity in the tub.

September's box is a yay! for me, i love all the products inside even the colourpop that im giving away, im pretty sure the shade will suit the other person better than myself.