Japonesque: Velvet Touch Concealer (Shades 1 & 2)

Hi everyone,

Today's review is of Japonesque's Velvet Touch Concealer. This concealer retails for $20 for 0.052 oz of product from Ulta. Japonesque describes this concealer as, "Instant blemish perfector. This classic cream concealer provides superb matte coverage. It's flexible texture provides a fuller coverage for skin blemishes, discoloration and imperfections, and gives an elegant soft-focus finish."

This concealer is available in five different colors, labeled as Shades 1 through 5, with 1 being the lightest and 5 being the darkest. I purchased this concealer in Shades 1 and 2. Shade 1 is the perfect shade for covering my under eye circles and brightening my under eyes at the same time, while Shade 2 is the perfect shade to match my skin tone and cover blemishes and imperfections. I will say, I was surprised at how dark the lightest shade is, so if you have a very light skin tone I think shade one might be too dark for you. On the other end of the spectrum, Shade 5 isn't the deepest color so I'm not sure how well it would work for people with darker skin tones. Overall, I highly recommend testing out the colors in the store prior to buying since the color range is very narrow. I also did find that these concealers lean to a more yellow undertone, and since that's my skin's undertone, I found this concealer color to be very flattering for me.

The packaging of this concealer is so cute! I love the watercolor inspired case with different bright colors. The inside features a mirror which is great for touch ups and to use when traveling. The clasp of the concealer is very secure so it won't accidentally open in your bag. While the amount of concealer you get may seem like very little, a little bit truly goes a long way, especially since it's so creamy and easy to blend!

Shade 1 on the left and Shade 2 on the right

Japonesque recommends to "Apply with a concealer brush for fuller coverage over blemishes, discoloration and imperfections." I tend to just use my fingers to apply this concealer. The formula of the concealer is very creamy so I find that using my fingers warms up this product nicely and allows for an easy time applying it.

Swatch on the left: Shade 1, Swatch on the right: Shade 2

The formula is very creamy but at the same time provides great coverage. I did find that my Shade 2 concealer was a bit more creamy and smooth than Shade 1, not sure if that was just true for my concealers or if it is true for this entire line. Overall though, this product is everything I look for in a concealer! It is super easy to apply, goes on smoothly, blends well into your makeup to provide a flawless look, and covers over blemishes impeccably. I'm always amazed at how well it minimizes the redness in my skin and covers my purple under eye circles. This concealer truly stays all day looking flawless without needing touch ups. I didn't find this concealer to settle into my under eye creases or to clump at all. The formula isn't greasy or too matte, and I find that I don't need to set it with a powder.

Final Verdict:
All in all, I think this is a fantastic concealer and is definitely one of my all time favorites! I love how creamy and smooth it is while applying flawlessly and covering all my blemishes and red spots. For only $20, I think this product is a great high end concealer without being ridiculously expensive. I love this concealer and I have already purchased another of both shades because they are so great! I highly recommend giving this concealer a shot!

Have you tried any products from the brand Japonesque? What concealers are your all time faves? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

Maybelline: Define-A-Lash Mascara

Hi everyone,

Happy Mascara Monday and hope your week is off to a great start! Today's review is of Maybelline's Define-A-Lash Mascara. This mascara retails for $7.99 at Ulta and $6.19 at Target. This mascara does come in two different formulas, waterproof and washable. I will be reviewing the washable formula mascara, not the waterproof version.

Photo Courtesy of Target

Maybelline describes this mascara as, "This Maybelline New York Define-A-Lash Lengthening Mascara creates stunning length with clean definition and zero clumps. Patented shaped-to-the-lash flexible brush. Ophthalmologist tested, contact lens safe." Maybelline recommends to "Sweep mascara from your outer lash to inner lash, sweeping brush slowly from root to tip. Do not let dry between coats. Removes easily with soap and water or Eye Makeup Remover."

Overall, I think this is an awesome mascara that is very overlooked and underrated. I really love the fun green packaging of this mascara. The tube is rather slim which is great for traveling and bringing it with you for touch ups. The shade of this mascara is "very black" and it is just that - a very dark black mascara. I think the color of this mascara is perfect for everyday wear or special events. It's your perfect classic black mascara.

When I first saw the mascara wand I was really unsure if I would like it, but turns out I absolutely love it! The want is the perfect shape for getting at your inner and outer lashes. The wand itself isn't flexible but the bristle end is flexible. The rubber bristles of the brush do a great job of applying the product to your lashes. This mascara is especially wonderful for people (like me!) who have fine, thin, short lashes and who are trying to make them appear longer and thicker. I love that in addition to lengthening and volumizing my lashes, this mascara does a great job of separating my lashes too.

The formula of the mascara is more of a wet formula which I really enjoy. I did find that it applied a bit clumpy, since it provided lots of volume and makes lashes look dense and full I was willing to overlook it. I do think since I've had it for a while now, that the formula is clumping a bit more than it did originally - at the very beginning I don't remember this mascara clumping at all. Overall, I've been very impressed with how long this mascara lasts without drying out. I've had mine for 6+ months now (I don't use it everyday) and the formula is still very wet and perfect to use.

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara applied without curling lashes

The one negative I have of this mascara is that there was a slight smell to it, a kind of rubbery, traditional mascara smell, but I didn't find it to be unbearable and I couldn't smell it after applying it. It's definitely not displeasing enough to not use this mascara.

Final Verdict
The two things I always look for my mascara to do is to lengthen and volumize my lashes. This mascara does just that and I absolutely LOVE it! I love the overall look this mascara gives my lashes! I don't think this mascara gets enough hype so I've really been wanting to do a review of it so people know how great it is. I will definitely repurchase this mascara and I highly recommend giving it a try!

Have you tried this Maybelline mascara? Which other Maybelline mascaras do you love? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

Lush: Mint Julips Lip Scrub

Hi everyone,

Today's review is of the Mint Julips Lip Scrub by Lush. This product retails for $9.95 through the Lush website and contains 0.9oz of product. Lush describes this product as, "Just like the scrumptious cocktail served in hot southern summers, Mint Julips is packed full of fresh peppermint and sweet castor sugar. Peppermint is responsible for that ‘tingly feeling’ you get after brushing your teeth or using lip balm, so we thought it would make a perfect addition to our lip scrub! Plus, it makes Mint Julips tastes like a big, creamy bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream."

This is a sugar scrub and Lush uses Fair Trade sugar as the base of their lip scrubs which makes for an effective exfoliant. Lush recommends how to use this product as "Scrub your lips with our sugary Lip Scrubs to make them smooth and tempting. Take a pea-sized amount and scrub your lips soft, then lick off the excess!"

I've long been a fan of the ELF Studio Lip Exfoliator (retails for $3 full-price for 0.16 oz of product) and decided to try this Lush product to see how it would compare. While I like that the ELF product comes in a lipstick-style tube for convenience, I find that the actual scrub of the Lush product is much better. It's a finely milled sugar scrub that doesn't hurt when applied to even the most sensitive of lips.  I find that once you get to the bottom of the ELF Lip Exfoliator the product becomes quite hard and is painful to apply onto your lips. With the Lush scrub, when you move your lips back and forth the product scrubs your lips but it doesn't hurt at all. I actually find that I have to stop myself after about 30 seconds so that I don't overexfoliate my lips because you can't tell until after you wipe off the product if you've over exfoliated since it's doesn't ever hurt your lips. After using the scrub, I highly recommend applying your favorite lip balm to help renourish your lips. Personally, I love using the EOS Visibly Soft lip balms - see my review here. Additionally, I also like that Lush uses natural ingredients in their products so I don't have to worry about accidentally swallowing the product. In fact, Lush even recommend licking off the excess product on your lips. I find the flavor of this scrub to be very pleasant as it's minty fresh with some notes of cocoa. It truly tastes like a mint julip!

The price of this product might seem a little pricey, but truly, a little bit goes a LONG way. I've had mine for several months and I still have more than half of it left. I tend to use it about once a week so as to not over exfoliate my lips.

Final Verdict:

I really like this lip scrub! I think Lush did a great job of making a product that works for people with very sensitive lips and the flavor of this scrub is very minty fresh with hints of chocolate. I think for the price, this is a great item to try, especially with the winter months coming up which means lots of chapped, dry lips. If you like the ELF lip exfoliator definitely give this product a try, I highly recommend trying it!

What are your favorite Lush products? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

-Meg

NARS: Sheer Matte Foundation

Happy Foundation Friday everyone!

Today's review is of the NARS Sheer Matte Foundation. I had been wanting to try this foundation for forever because I absolutely LOVE matte foundations. I purchased this foundation from Sephora for $45 for 1 oz of product, which is quite pricey for a foundation in my opinion!

I purchased the color Ceylan which Sephora describes as a light-medium shade with yellow undertones. Colorwise, I found that this shade matched my skin pretty perfectly, which is great since I just guessed as I bought it online. On the Sephora website, this product is available in 17 different shades, ranging from very fair to very dark with everything from pink to yellow undertones, so there's bound to be one that's a pretty perfect match to your skin. If you can, I do recommend going to Sephora and swatching the colors before purchasing just to ensure that you buy the right shade as this is a pricey item and you don't want to get a shade that is a poor match.

NARS describes this product as "This Sheer Matte Foundation enhances, without masking, your overall natural complexion. The weightless formula absorbs oil and keeps skin shine free all day long. The complexion brightening properties improve skin brightness, radiance, and texture, leaving the complexion with a luminous, fresh finish."

In terms of packaging, this lives up to the beautiful packaging that NARS is known for. I like the frosted glass bottle, it looks absolutely gorgeous! The only downside in my opinion is that it doesn't come with a pump. The foundation is very runny so pouring it out on your hand is an absolute MESS. You can buy a pump separately for $6 from the NARS website, but when I'm already paying almost $50 for a foundation, I want it to have a pump and I don't want to pay even more for one.

The formula of this product is VERY sheer, it actually surprised me how sheer it was. I know the word "sheer" is in the name of the product, but this product really didn't cover up my red spots or blemishes very well. I think this is a good product if you don't have many skin imperfections and aren't trying to hide anything. Honestly though, I don't have too much to hide, but I felt like this foundation just helped to even my skin tone a tiny bit but really didn't have much to offer in terms of coverage. If I'm going to put a liquid foundation on, I want to see medium to full coverage, otherwise I tend to use more powder foundations for light to medium coverage days because I think that helps my skin breathe more.

Top Row: Light Swatch, Heavier Swatch
Bottom Row: Blended out Swatch

Applying this foundation was very interesting to apply. It was okay at blending out, but not the best. Also, a long time after applying this foundation my skin looked dewy which I thought was very strange. Eventually, maybe 20 minutes later, it would mattify, it was just strange to put it on and immediately look dewy. I did apply a setting powder with this product to help mattify it faster and add a little more coverage. I don't think you have to apply a finishing powder but I generally prefer to no matter what foundation I'm using.

This product is for normal to oily skin so it probably wasn't the best product for me since I tend to have normal to dry skin and I definitely did notice it sticking to my dry patches. If you do have oily and super oily skin and don't need much coverage I would highly recommend checking out this foundation - I think it would be perfect for you! This foundation does say that it's buildable to get a little more coverage, but I find when I did that I looked very cakey and it didn't look very natural.

My problem areas show through!

Final Verdict:
All in all, this just wasn't a good foundation for me so I did return it back to Sephora. I wanted to love it so badly, but it just wasn't right for me. Having normal to dry skin just didn't mesh well with this foundation as it enhanced my dry patches and it also offered such little coverage that it wasn't worth the expensive price tag for me. I do think this is a great product for someone who doesn't need much coverage and doesn't really have any skin imperfections that they're trying to hide. If you don't like a matte foundation, NARS also has a Sheer Glow Foundation which I believe is a pretty similar formula except gives you a glowy, dewy look.

Have you tried any Nars Foundations? What do you think, are they worth the hype? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

Maybelline: Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks

Hi everyone,

Today's post is on Maybelline's Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks. These lipsticks retail for $7.99 at Ulta, $8.29 at CVS, $7.29 at Walgreens, and $5.49 at Target, and each contains 0.15 oz of product. Maybelline describes this product as "The Creamy Mattes by Color Sensational deliver a burst of bold lip color and a surge of creamy texture in make-a-statement shades, for mattes your lips will love to wear!"

There are currently 10 shades in the line and I own and will be reviewing four of them:
          - Daringly Nude (#655)
          - Lust for Blush (#665)
          - Touch of Spice (#660)
          - Mesmerizing Magenta (#680)

The packaging of these lipsticks is very simple and sleek for a drugstore lipstick. I really like the silver packaging with the semi-transparent purple casing. The packaging is sturdy enough that you can through the lipstick in your purse and not worry about it getting crushed or anything.

Overall, I absolutely love these lipsticks!! They are a long-lasting, very comfortable to wear matte lipstick that's so affordable! I was really surprised when applying these lipsticks by how creamy they are for a matte lipstick. They do seem to dry down to a little after a couple of minutes to application, but they are still very comfortable to wear and they do last for hours. These lipsticks are also very opaque and pigmented, especially for a drugstore lipstick.

Now here are some additional photos and swatches of each of the shades!

Daringly Nude

Lust for Blush

Touch of Spice

Mesmerizing Magenta

Final Verdict:
This is a matte lipstick that you have to have!! I absolutely adore the shade Daringly Nude and highly recommend it to nude lipstick lovers. These lipsticks are so affordable and they are so comfortable to wear while looking gorgeous! I'm definitely tempted to buy some more shades in the line!

Which shades of the Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipsticks are your favorite? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

Too Faced: Lashgasm Mascara

Happy Monday everyone, hope you're all having a great day! Sorry for the delay in posting, the holidays have been crazy and I haven't been able to write any posts. I will try to post more often!

Today's Mascara Monday review is on Too Faced's Lashgasm Mascara. This mascara contains 0.4 oz of product and retails for $21 at Sephora, Ulta, and Too Faced's website.

Too Faced describes this mascara as, "A voluptuous, fluffing mascara that conditions as it thickens to create dramatically long lashes with intense color." Additionally, "Lashgasm's multiple rows of flexible-but-firm, molded bristles are designed with micro-hooks that grab each and every lash for a clump-free application. The vitamin-rich, creamy formula penetrates for high-color absorbency and exaggerated depth. Meadowfoam seed oil forms a protective barrier to lock in soothing emollients that promote long-term wear without drying or harming lashes. A moisturizing combination of panthenol, vitamins A & E, and jojoba seed oil hydrates and soothes lashes to keep them soft, light, and flexible."

All in all, this is just an okay mascara in my opinion and I probably wouldn't purchase it again. On the positive side, I really liked the wand of this mascara, it has rubber bristles which brush nicely through your lashes. The wand itself is also very flexible and provides a nice slight curl upwards to your lashes without even using a lash curler.

On the negative side, this mascara has a really bad smell to it, that's quite unbearable in my opinion. This is a black mascara, but I found that it wasn't an overly, dark black in color. This mascara didn't seem to really lengthen or volumize my lashes like it claimed to do. Also, while this mascara is not clumpy with one coat, I found that the more of it that you apply it, it gets increasingly clumpier. I think in the first photo above the mascara doesn't look too clumpy, but in the second photo it does look clumpy.

Final Verdict

According to Too Faced, "It IS the size of your lashes that matter!," but unfortunately I didn't think this mascara really held up that claim. This is an okay mascara, I like that it gives your lashes some curl, but unfortunately I didn't like that it didn't add much length or volume to my lashes. Also, the smell of this mascara is horrible and pretty much unbearable in my opinion. I don't think I'd repurchase the mascara, but I do like the overall final look that it provided to my lashes.

Have you tried any of the Too Faced mascaras? What mascara are you loving at the moment? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

The Body Shop: Tea Tree Face Mask

Hi everyone!

Today's review is of The Body Shop's Tea Tree Face Mask. This mask is intended for blemished skin and they claim it "instantly cools and lifts away impurities." I purchases this single use size which contains enough product for one use so that I could see if I liked it before purchasing a full-size  of the face mask. The sample retails for $2.50 and contains 0.2 oz (a generous amount!) of product, and you can purchase it from Ulta and The Body Shop. A full-size of the face mask comes in a pot with 100 mL and retails for $15.50 from Ulta and The Body Shop. Right now almost everything on from The Body Shop is 40% off (with free shipping for purchases over $50) so it's a great time to try some new products and stock up on old favorites!

This face mask is one of The Body Shop's bestsellers! They describe it as leaving the "skin feeling deeply cleansed and refreshed with an instantly cooling mask that helps remove impurities and absorb excess oil while soothing and calming blemish-prone skin. Community Fair Trade tea tree oil, lemon tea tree, and tamanu oil work together to keep skin clear by helping to prevent blemishes and blackheads, and controlling excess oil. Menthol creates a cool fresh tingle that leaves skin feeling calm and refreshed." This product is 100% Vegetarian, Never Tested on Animals, Contains Community Fair Trade Ingredients, No Sulfates, No Phthalates, No GMOs, and No Triclosan. The Body Shop recommends applying this product by "Smooth a thin layer onto pat-dried skin, clean face and neck with your fingertips. Leave for 5 to 10 minutes (mask will not dry). Then rinse off with clean water and pat skin dry. Use once or twice per week, after cleansing."

This product is ideal for oily skin, but I found that it worked amazingly well on my skin. (For reference, my skin is normal to dry and I do have occasional breakouts.) I used this mask when I was experiencing lots of breakouts from a Lush face mask that I reviewed previously (Link HERE). I was amazed at how quickly my breakouts disappeared and how smooth my skin felt immediately after using this mask. It also really soothed my skin and helped reduce the irritation associated with the breakouts on my face. I think those who experience bad acne breakouts will absolutely love this mask, but I also think those people who only have occasional breakouts will also love this mask as it's incredibly soothing and helps keep your skin smooth, cleansed and blemish-free. I did notice a slight tingle when using this mask but it was actually pretty minimal, yet powerful at acne-fighting at the same time. I really liked that this mask was effective but also didn't completely dry out my skin like some blemish-fighting masks do. While it wasn't necessarily hydrating, it didn't strip my skin of its moisture.

Final Verdict:
Overall, I really loved using this face mask! It was soothing yet effective at the same time. The results were instantaneous (soft, smooth skin) yet long-term (reduced redness and breakouts) as well. I highly recommend this mask to everyone, because I truly believe it's a universally flattering mask that will help all skin types and is for people of all ages. I loved this mask so much that I have already purchased a full-sized pot of it. Definitely check this face mask out!

Have you tried any of The Body Shop's face masks? What skin concerns are you looking to fix with a face mask (i.e. - acne, redness, pores, etc.)? Please leave a comment below I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

Sephora VIB Sale: My (Actual) Purchases!

Hi everyone,

I'm soooooo excited to share with you my purchases from Sephora's VIB sale! Yesterday, the second of my two purchases finally came in, so I was able to take photos and do some initial swatches for you guys. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the VIB Sale, it's a 20% off everything sale at Sephora exclusively for VIB and VIB Rouge members that I believe (correct me if I'm wrong!) once a year. This year, the sale was from Thursday 11/6 (today) thru Monday 11/10. You can see my intended purchases blog post here and my wish list and recommendations blog post here if you're interested. Sephora had so many purchases during this time that the site was down for hours at a time and shipments from their warehouses were severely delayed. So you'll see below, but I clearly bought more than I was originally intending to, but getting 20% off items that never go on sale was just too good to refuse. I hate to do this, but just a quick disclaimer - I'm in no way trying to brag or boast about the items I got during the sale, I just want to share my new products with my fellow beauty lovers so please don't take this post the wrong way! So with that said, lets jump right in!

LIPS
So I went a little lip crazy because I've been dying for some more nude lip color options and I wanted to try out several brands that I've never tried before. I bought three of the Bite Beauty: Mix N' Mingle Lip Minis, which at $12 a pop are a great way to try several of the different colors in the line. I purchased the Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Gavi and two Luminous Crème Lipstick Duos, one in Retsina & Musk, and the other in Date & Fig.

I also purchased a TooFaced Melted Liquified Lipstick in the shade Melted Nude, a Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in the shade Petal, a Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in the shade LoveCraft, and a Nars Audacious Lipstick in the shade Raquel,

FOUNDATION
I took the opportunity during the VIB Sale to try out some new foundations and pick up one of my all time favorites. So I picked up an extra of my holy grail powder foundation, Clinique's Almost Powder Makeup with SPF 15 in the shade Light, as well as, I decided to try out BECCA's Ultimate Coverage Complexion Crème in the shade Buff and Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation in the shade Medium Ivory.

FACE
This was a last minute purchase, but I decided to pick up the Ambient Lighting Palette by Hourglass. I've never swatched it before but it has such high reviews that I decided to give it a go and try it out! I will definitely do a more in-depth review once I've used it a bit so stay tuned.

SKINCARE
I also love stocking up on skincare products during the VIB Sale because the items are often very pricey. The first thing I picked up was an item I've been dying to try for a while now, First Aid Beauty's Skin Rescue Purifying Mask With Red Clay. I also picked up Boscia's The Black Collection kit which contains a full-size of the Luminizing Black Face Mask, a 1 oz sample of the Detoxifying Black Cleanser, and the Konjac Cleansing Sponge with Bamboo Charcoal. Additionally I purchase Sephora's Beauty Unmasked Kit which contains a Boscia Luminizing Black Face Mask, Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask, and GlamGlow's ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment. I also got Sephora's Pearl face mask to try out and a small size of GlamGlow's YouthMud TingleExfoliate Treatment since I've never tried any skincare items from either brand before.

REDEEMED POINTS
In addition, I also redeemed some of my points during the sale. For 100 points each, I picked up a sample of Buxom's Mascara Bar mascara and the DiorShow Iconic Overcurl mascara. I also picked up a deluxe sample of Tory Burch's perfume for 250 points.

SAMPLES
Since I made two purchases online during the VIB Sale I was able to pick out 6 samples to try. I got:
          - Argon Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil in Limitless Pink  by Josie Maran
          - GinZing Moisturizer by Origins
          - Thermal Cleansing Balm by Omorovicza
          - Pore Medic Pore Minish Primer by Dr. Jart+
          - Rain Eau de Perfume by Clean
          - SuperMud Clearing Treatment by GlamGlow (White Packaging)

With each order, I also received a sampler pack of some of Sephora's most popular fragrances. What a great way to try out a bunch and figure out which scents you like!

What items did you pick up during Sephora's VIB Sale? Please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

-Meg

IPSY: November Glam Bag! (Subscription Box)

Hi everyone!

I don't normally update my blog on Wednesday, but I just got my November IPSY glam bag in the mail and couldn't wait to give you a first impression and my thoughts on the items I received! For those of you that don't know, IPSY is a monthly subscription service that costs $10 a month and you receive 4-5 samples in a cute cosmetic bag. When you first sign up for IPSY you fill our a brief survey and that's how they personalize the items that thou receive. I recently resubscribed to IPSY after canceling for a month and this is the first bag I received with my new subscription. I had been a little annoyed with the samples in my previous bags so I decided to cancel, but this month's bag looked really good so I re-subscribed.

The theme of the bag this month is "Girl Meets Glitter: Life is Short Wear Glitter." Thankfully even though that's the theme, not all of the items I received contained glitter. I don't mind some glitter and sparkle, but I definitely don't want it in every item I receive.

This month the samples I received in my bag this month are:
          - SeaRX Skincare: Micro-Dermabrasion Face & Body Scrub
          - Be A Bombshell Cosmetics: Eye Base - Shade: Submissive
          - IT Cosmetics: Bye By Under Eye Concealer - Shade: Neutral Medium
          - Marc Anthony: Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray
          - StarLooks: Lip Gloss - Shade: Guilty Pleasure

In addition, the bag this month was a collaboration between IPSY and Forever 21 Cosmetics, and it is a sparkly silver bag with a pink zipper and pull tab closure. It's a very fun bag but unfortunately it feels very cheap and inexpensive. I think I will probably pass this bag along to one of my younger cousins who I think will love it.

SeaRX Skincare: Micro-Dermabrasion Face & Body Scrub
IPSY describes this skincare product as "Exfoliate your whole body with this all-over scrub, which utilizes an advanced crystal blend system. The gentle scrub effectively exfoliates, removes dead cells and reveals softer, healthier skin. Featuring minerals and extracts, the formula improves skin tone and leaves you with smoother, firmer looking skin." This sample size is 0.3 oz which is a great size to try out for a couple of days. I have not yet tried it out, but I love scrubs so I'm really excited to give it a go! A full-size of this product retails for $32 and contains 100 grams, which is about about 3.53 ounces. Therefore, this sample contains about 1/12th of the product of the full-size version and would retail for about $3.

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics: Eye Base - Shade: Submissive
IPSY describes this product as, "This eye base is a highly pigmented, long-lasting product that can be used as a single cream color or used as an eye base to build color." They recommend applying the product lightly with your fingertip to create a natural finish and layer on additional product if you want additional color. You can also create a more intense look by layering with a powder eyeshadow. I really like this shade, I think it would be a great starting item to create a nice copper smokey eye. In terms of texture, this eyeshadow is very pigmented and smooth, although I find that they definitely take a little building up to get the color I desire. I've only swatched this product so I will follow up with a more thorough review and let you know how they apply to the eye and if they crease. A full-size of this product retails for $14, which I believe is what I received.

IT Cosmetics: Bye By Under Eye Concealer - Shade: Neutral Medium
I was so excited to receive this sample as I absolutely LOVE this concealer! IPSY describes this concealer as, "This best-selling, cult-favorite and award-winning concealer delivers highly pigmented, long-lasting coverage that won’t crease or crack. Infused with anti-aging technology, vitamins and high-performance pigments, this multipurpose concealer improves the appearance of wrinkles and effectively conceals the appearance of skin imperfections including dark circles, bags, redness, hyperpigmentation, broken capillaries, age spots and discoloration. Finally an extreme concealer that makes you look younger!" This is definitely a thick concealer and you really need to warm it up on the back of your hand before applying, like they suggest. If you don't, I find that it's hard to blend out this concealer and that it creases pretty badly. However, when used correctly this product works amazingly well and covers even the darkest of under eye circles. I also find it works wonders for covering blemishes and redness. I will say, unfortunately IPSY was only offering this concealer in the shade Neutral Medium (thankfully my shade!), so that definitely won't work for everyone. If you've never tried this concealer, I highly recommend it! I'm looking forward to using this sample size for traveling!

Comparison between travel & full-size concealer

Marc Anthony: Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Shine Hairspray
I always love receiving hair products in subscription services because I often don't go outside my comfort zone and pay to try new products so this is a great way to try new items. IPSY describes this product as, "Get extra volume, shine and hold with this dual purpose hairspray; nourishing and styling in one! This argan oil, keratin and grape seed oil infused hairspray gives you strong and flexible hold plus deep nourishment, strengthening and conditioning as you style. The non-water based, fast drying formula freeze-frames your volume and hold without stickiness or flaking and it’s flexible finish creates workable styles for easy re-styling without crunch or heavy build-up. It creates a luminous finish and shields against humidity for longer lasting styles. Sun Protectors keep the sun and other elements from damaging your full bodied mane." I have already used this hairspray and I absolutely love it! It doesn't get hard or sticky like some hairsprays which is great and it stays put all night! I highly recommend it and I will be buying a full size of it soon!

StarLooks: Lip Gloss - Shade: Guilty Pleasure
I don't often wear lip gloss so it's not one of the types of products I like receiving it subscription boxes. I have so many already that I never use so I hate adding more items to it, when I would have much rather received a lipstick. IPSY describes this product as, "Starlooks Lip Glosses are created with a truly moisturizing, luxury, non-sticky formula. This neutral-rose, yet glamorous shade provides the perfect glisten for any lip look and complements any skin tone! Can be worn alone or in combination with other Starlooks lip products for a truly customizable finish." I have not tried out this  product on my lips yet, but from my hand swatch it seems that this lip gloss is pretty sticky and requires a couple of swatches back and forth to get it as pigmented as you see in the photos below. I do like that IPSY selected this product in a nice neutral yet universally flattering shade.

Okay, so that's everything that was in my IPSY glam bag this month! What did you guys think or receive in your own IPSY glam bags? Are there any other subscription services that you've been loving that I should check out? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

Special IPSY Coupon Codes:
Here are some special IPSY exclusive coupon codes for you guys to enjoy!
SeaRX Beauty: Free Shipping on orders over $50 with code searxipsy at checkout (Valid thru 12/31/14, not valid for Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico)
IT Cosmetics: 20% off orders of $25 or more with code IPSY at checkout (valid thru 12/31/14, free shipping in US only)
StarLooks: 20% off all cosmetics purchases with code IPSY at checkout (value thru 12/31/14)
Calvin Klein Beauty (via Ulta): $5 off of $30 CK One Color Cosmetics purchase with code 202882 at checkout
Elizabeth Mott: 50% off your entire oder with code IPSYFINE at checkout
GlamGlow: 30% off any purchase with code IPSY at checkout (valid thru 11/31/14, US only)
Temptu: 25% off any purchase with code IPSY at checkout (valid thru 12/31/14, US only)
Tarte: 20% off at Tarte.com with code IPSYNOV at checkout (valid thru 12/10/14, US/Canada/Puerto Rico only)
Rouge Underground: $10 off any $50 purchase with code RUIPSY at checkout (Valid thru 2/10/15, US/Canada only)
L.A. Colors (via Hot Topic): 25% off order with code IPSY at checkout (Valid thru 11/30/14, US/Canada only)
JCAT Beauty: 25% off any purchase with code 25JCAT at checkout (Valid thru 12/31/14, US/Canada only)
Elizabeth Arden: 15% off + UNTOLD sample with any $50 purchase + Free Shipping with code IPSY at checkout (Valid thru 12/31/14)
Demeter Fragrance: 20% off any purchase with code IPSY at checkout (Valid thru 12/31/14)
ClariSEA: 25% off any purchase with code GLOW at checkout (Valid thru 12/31/14, US only (not Hawaii or Alaska)

Kate Spade: Sale Haul & 20% off Promo Code!

Hi everyone,

Today I'm sharing a Kate Spade sale haul with you! Every so often (roughly 2-3 months) Kate Spade has a special sale of up to 75% off some of their items. They will send an email to those on their email list notifying them of the sale starting and it will only last a couple days so shop fast! I highly recommend signing up to receive their emails so you're aware of when these sales start. Below is the email I received most recently.

I always use these sales as an opportunity to buy nice gifts for my friends and family at amazingly low prices. All jewelry items purchased during the sale come with a nice little Kate Spade dust bag, identical to the ones they would give you if you purchased these items full-priced. The items I picked up during the last sale are:
          - Keswick Caining Huggie Earrings

          - Moon River Studs

          - Hancock Park Scatter Necklace (x2)

Keswick Caining Huggie Earrings

I purchased these earrings for my mother for Christmas as she absolutely loves gold hoops and I thought these were stunning. These earrings have 14 karat gold fill and have a gorgeous intricate design with some nice stones in them. They were originally listed for $65, but I only paid $29 during the sale, which is about 56% off!

Moon River Studs

I purchased these earrings for one of my friends for Christmas since these are totally her style. I mean who wouldn't love these adorable bow post earrings?!? They are white enamel with 14 karat gold fill around the edges. These earrings are a little on the large side but aren't completely huge and  I think they will look amazing on. They were originally listed for $28, but I only paid $19 during the sale, which is about 32% off.

Hancock Park Scatter Necklace
The last items I purchased were two of the Hancock Park Scatter Necklaces. I purchased one of these for a friend and one for myself as it was just too gorgeous not to get one for me too! This necklace is rather long and is made of silver and some gorgeous stones. The full retail price of this necklace is $98 but was on sale for $39 during the sale, which is about 61% off - another terrific value!

All in all, I highly recommend checking out the Kate Spade special sales and getting on their email list. These sales are a great way to buy yourself a little special something that you wouldn't buy for yourself normally, and gifts for friends and family members for birthdays and holidays. If you spend $200 during the sale you will get free shipping, but if you do not shipping will cost only $5.

Are you a fan of Kate Spade jewelry? Are there any Kate Spade jewelry pieces on your holiday wishlish? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!
-Meg

PS- I received this card in the mail from Kate Spade with a coupon code for 20% off your full-priced purchases in stores! The code is WILDCARD and it's valid between 11/3/14 and 12/7/14. The online code they provided me with was for a single use and I'm actually saving it for some additional gift purchases in the future so I have not included it in the photo below.