Friday, August 22, 2014

Ipsy August Glam Room Unboxing - Beauty Schooled

I should just bank on my Ipsy coming later than sooner now. Premeditating a move, after putting an offer on our house I changed my address to my parents address. My sister also gets her Ipsy there as well. Saturday after market I stopped by their mailbox at the end of a long driveway and bam. One pink envelope. Not mine at all. My friend also got hers that day.

Unfortunately mine came on Tuesday the 19th, and it's Friday and I am just now collecting it.

Even though the items I received are lovely, I am not nearly as excited. I will attribute that to the horrid bag they came in. This is one I do not even want to give away. Maybe it will just work as a pencil case for my Prismacolors, rather than the plastic freezer bag I have been using.

Giving even that yucky little bag some thought, it is actually genius. The pattern is adorbs, but it's a flat little plastic blah bag. BUT it's like a pencil case. Get it "Beauty Schooled". In fact, this fits all my Prismas nearly perfect (although, if I did not spend about ten minutes sharpening their broken tips, thus shortening them, these would not fit.)

Like all Ipsy bags, save for July which went to my nonsubscribed sister, the bag grew on me. 

Urban Decay

Perversion Mascara

3ml /12 ml
$5.50 / 22
Alright. Like many others, I took advantage of that early access to the glam room. I was elated to have received another Perversion sample. My current sample has been notably drier lately, as it's nearly two months lifespan. While I will not open this guy just yet (need to try another kind like They're Real or Lash Domination) I absolutely LOVE this mascara. To date it is the best I have ever used. The blackest and baddest, beefy lashes ever. The sizing is perfect for me as well. Top notch Ipsy. Franks.

Coastal Scents

Forever Blush Sample Duo in Fresh (Left) and Elegant (Right)

Purchase the full sizes here and here for $7.95 each
2.4g/ 20g (both)
0.08oz / 0.70oz (both)
$1.82/ 15.90


Very hard to price this one, but I do really like how they are packaged. Both of these come from Coastal Scents' individual bluse compacts. Each pot in the sampler represents about a quarter size of the actual product. Fairly, that seems about right as far as samples go, just the diminutive packaging on it's own seems skimpy. A quick look at these would suggest they are of similar size to what one might receive in a travel sized palette. In fact width is a near match for my Too Faced Candy Bar.  

One shade is a lovely candy pink, while the other is a dusty peach rose. I have been fond of using the dusty color Fresh over my whole cheek bone, and plopping some Elegant on my apples. The colors blend fairly well together and they are pogmented nicely. As with other CS products I have used, it's longevity is a hair shorter than say Bare Minerals or something a little fancier. Even with a fading near the end of the day, I loved this blush and the compacts go on sale fairly often to where this would be a great purchase. Pssh. They're cheap enough anyways. 
Don't mind the 3AM market-getting-ready photo. Eye makeup really makes you look awake. 

Jersey Shore Sun

Mongongo Lip Conditioner

This product is full size. Purchase here for $5.50
Weight: 0.15 oz
$5.50


A quick glaze over on the ingredients is fairly simple. While I do think the "Organic" label is a little off putting, as my background is from a conventional small time farm. Much of our pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are in fact organic. We still spray, but take Copper. It's organic and an effective fertilizer and fungicide. In the public eye, we are spraying. Many organic farmers will still spray. This is a different can of worms, but I only point it out to say that labeling something organic does not automatically add "wholesome" to the list of qualities. Large corporate farms that spray often don't grow the produce with love, and likewise there are probably organic farms that do not employ the same love either.

ALRIGHT REBECCA. AS I WAS SAYING... the ingredient list is fairly simple, with Beeswax, Sunflower oil, cocoa butter and essential oils. This resembles the ingredient list to the lip balms I make. The only difference, save for different oils themselves is the addition of Vitamin E. I am so game for this.

Going into actual usage oh my GOSH. I can easily proclaim the most excitement about this lip balm. This is the smoothest balm I have ever used, and as the website gushed how juicy this tastes and smells I wholeheartedly agree. Beautifully smooth and I can definitely pick up on the Ginger flavor, and lime blends to give this an exquisite fruity flavor.

If this ever goes through my washing machine I will cry for hours.

Lord & Berry

Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil

Purchase the full size here for $16
0.02 oz
0.6g
I could not find a size for the full version, so I guesstimate this is about a third of a full size.
$5.33/ 16

This is one small son of a gun. It bears the esteemed title of being smaller than my pinky finger. It also does not look too horribly exciting. I have one automatic black liner from Bare Minerals, and an Urban Decay pencil liner. At least this does not over-encumber me with liners.

It applies on my arm incredibly smooth, but does not quite make a super dark black. Very little tug if any, but this bugger smudges rather easily.  

For the past week, I have solidly used this booger with the instructions on Lord & Berry's site. Put in lower lash line and blink. For my eyes anyways, this works awesome. Super black and lasting. I have not tested it on my upper lid, and may not. I do love it, and it's fab for my water line.  

Paula's Choice Skincare

Clear Ultra-Light Daily Mattifying Fluid SPF 30+

Purchase the full size here for $8
15 ml/ 0.5 fl oz 
This travel size is available on Paula's Choice website.
$8

This one is kind of just okay. The high SPF rating is favorable, but as a moisturizer I mostly just feels like sunscreen. The consistency matches that of a sunscreen, paired with a distinct sunscreen smell. With absolute certainty this will be used, but as the highest value item in the bag all I can muster is an unenthusiastic wow.

After using it a few days, this is definitely more runny. Still it gets the job done. I have not suffered any breakouts from this either. 

Total Bag Value
$26.15/10

Well the look I cobbled together with my products. 

Face: Pür Minerals 4-in-1 pressed foundation, Too Faced Chocolate Soliel bronzer, Coastal Scents blush (both colors with Elegant on the apples), bare Minerals Mineral Veil. 

Eyes: Lorac Pocket Pro (Nude, Pewter, and Espresso), Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, ELF Cream liner, Lord & Beryy Silk Kajal liner. 

Brows: It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Taupe, Studio M dark brow trio. 


Incredibly low value bag. Social media bore many complaints about the ridiculous sizes on the samples. As long as I get use from the samples, I will be alright but sheesh. This bag would not be the one to recruit newer people likely.

All the same, these are five super usable products that I have integrated into my use for a week now. Point is, bag value does not equal to how good the products actually are. As much as my early impressions were sour, I am glad to have all these. 

Modes this review dazzle you? If so feel free to use my referral link. You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for $10. Check it out here: http://www.ipsy.com/r/77po?sid=ipsypoints&cid=email

Rebecca has left the building.

What a fluttering of a month. One reason or another led me to make nearly zero posts.

A specific reason I can name is a pretty awesome one!!

Trade the itsy bitsy one bedroom apartment for a gigando 4 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath Victorian totally loaded up on space. We can park four cars directly in front of our side door (better than wiggling around a building with a 30# bag of dog food and the rest of your groceries). Full kitchen. Seperate spacious dining room. A parlor and a living room. Plus shrubberies.

Even with our pups being confined to the first floor, their roaming space has quadrupled. Additionally, the non-carpeted flooring is amazing when it comes to working with a puppy and a full grown dog who lately decided his trigger will be on carpet. Not that that matters, as the solid week we have been here only yieled one accident from Dallas and twice from Nightshade. Dallas is more well adjusted than his baby brother, but if there is a dude walking around loud outside he was too distracted to finish business. Plus I think the walking fellah was inebriated, which sent me back in quicker too. That accident was our fault. Nightshade on the other hand was a little stressed and had stress diarrhea, but only before day 3. Both have taken to the new place like gems!

Not without it's hiccups though, this has been an excellent relocation. Firstly as a clueless young couple, we had no idea the gas was separate from our electric company. That means no oven and no hot showers for a few days. At this very moment I am awaiting the gas man so I can finish up my dishes and can my tomatoes. Our dryer is electric, and we need to install an outlet suitable. And as beautiful as the entire house is, the previous owners left the larger bathroom nearly untouched. The floor is frightful (but there is a nice faucet in the shower and a nice mirror with a beautiful light fixture.) We definitely have a construction project right there, but aside from that the building inspector gave us a glowing report. He even complimented my use of Halloween decoration and mine and Andrew's dragonbone helmet project sitting on our desk.

I have been attempting to record a few practice videos for my YouTube channel. Best way to connect with a pal, is to get in on what they love.  One video I would like to make is a house tour video, as I am just that excited.

Lastly, posts have been scarce largely due just not shopping much. I killed it at Ulta near the close of July, and had to let my allowance recover. Now that it has, I am taking stock of my makeup and really, I do not know if I will need anything anytime soon. Maybe my allowance can just go towards markers?

Text heavy post will end it's transition soon.

Have yourselves a wonderful night and I am going to genuinely attempt to make my blogging far more positive and less cynical.
Let's end this with Nightshade in his new bedroom (parlor)

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Rants are subpar to Happies

Honestly, i do not like to go on them. It only proves to work me up and leave me upset and dissatisfied. Happiness is my favorite flavor. 

So ending a quick rant on rants, how about some things that are great. 

My dog. 
And my current youngest nephew (soon to be a middle nephew in September. Yee!)

This is Dallas. He is a two year old Shetland Sheepdog and is smart as a whip, neurotic, and a loud complaining dog. Dallas also responds to Pingo, and if he enjoys mashing his toys against your legs (sometimes with his flying disk, he accidentally noms a leg). Pingot is also a cuddle monster who will lay down on your feet while you do dishes. He is obedient and wonderful. 
The best part of Dallas is that he is always smiling!!

Enter Nightshade. 
(Or "Nightshade Pumpkin Fishbone"/Chubbs)
Another sheltie, but the BiBlack variation, Nightshade is near impossible to photograph. 

As far as sheltie averages go, Nightshade exceeded the charts at an early age. He is gigantic and reduces Dallas to Pygmy size. Shade is our baby and retained his floppy ears naturally. 

His personality manifested as a complete foil to Dallas within a week. Every action he takes is peppered with laziness and a drawl, even down to running goofy. Nightshade is sweet natured and a quick learner, following after Dallas example. 

He is my shadow and another cuddle monster. Also his somewhat dumb nature is endearing.

Those are the Pingoes. 
If ever you see me refer to a "Pingo" it is either Dallas specifically; a Shetland sheepdog; herding dog (Rough collies are always "big pingoes"); by extension dogs in general, or whatever animal is cute; or what Andrew has decided to call me this month for laughs. 


He also calls me Pumpkinhead. That and Darling make me melt. 

Andrew the neimgromp. 
Made up words regularly surface in our dialogue. Like Gibbles who gib. 
We enjoy singing dramatically in the car and laughing all day. 

Drawing and writing. 
I would love to be a Renaissance man... Err... Drawing, painting, sculpting, writing, singing like Bonnie Tyler (refined, classic music of course), and my affinity for being obnoxious and sitting on furnitures stupidly. 

Example. 
Spine where the glutes go. Terrible terrible and I know why my dog is so lazy. He gets his sloth from me. 

But, I really like to draw and have enjoyed doing it for the past decade. I can now draw decent cartoon dogs. Wow. 

Mountains of things in the world give me happiness, but these are just a few of them. 
I love happiness! And I would love to make more posts like this, just to keep the positivity flowing, as I could sure use it.