my [last] january ipsy review

bag | Once again, I am feeling "meh" about the bag. It isn't as awful as last month's, but surely didn't blow my socks off. One side is white, one side is a royal blue, which are two colors I like, however the size and the fabric make this something that I won't use often.

Liquid eyeliner by Coastal Scents | Aside from the fact that I can't do a winged liner look to save my life, this product seems it be a good one. It has a sturdy felt tip brush and is jet black [two things I would probably look for if I could maneuver liquid liner]. Plus, the full size is very affordable at a mere $2.95!

Take it off! exfoliating honey peel off mask by Hey Honey | Is it just me, or is there something weirdly satisfying about a peel off mask? I'm not exactly sure where the "exfoliating" part of this product comes in, due to it's gooey texture, but I know that it removed the grime from my skin. This may be TMI, but I could actually see the dirt on the mask pieces I pulled off.

Be Good. Good Day. Day Moisturizer. by La Fresh Eco-Beauty | First of all, the name of this product is questionable. "Be good. Good day. Day Moisturizer." They could have stopped at day moisturizer and gotten the point across. Anyway, I digress. I'm starting to love this day time moisturizer. It is definitely not heavy enough to use at night, but it sits well under makeup during the day due to its lightweight formula and fresh cucumber scent.

Natural mineral coconut eye shadow by Pacifica in Ethereal | I need another nude eye shadow like I need another pair of shoes [I don't], but this product is lovely! The formula is very buttery and smooth, and it doesn't hurt that it's 100% vegan. This brand is available at Target, and I've also heard wonderful things about their blood orange lotion.

Velvet rose lipgloss by Velvet 59 in noisette | I was pleasantly surprised when I tried this gloss and loved it, seeing as I'm not a huge lip gloss gal. Lately I am super into rosy mauve colors, and this product has just the right amount of tint to it. Did I mention that I adore the chic clear packaging, silver handle, and faint rose scent? I've been layering this gloss over Revlon's Sassy Mauve, and it works like a dream.

I'm sure you've noticed a trend of me not being super excited with my Ipsy bags the past few months, which is why I have decided to cancel my subscription and receive the Sample Society box by Allure [only $15 a month!]. For only $10 a month, I still think Ipsy is a good deal for beauty lovers, but, I felt like a lot of the products weren't useful to me. I think Ipsy tries to avoid this by making subscribers take a beauty quiz, allowing you to choose the items and brands that you use most, but I still wasn't receiving the type of items I requested.

After spending far too much time researching past Sample Society boxes with my best friend via phone, I concluded that the $5 extra a month is worth it to receive samples of higher end brands that I might not normally buy. According to the site, the Allure beauty editor's choose their favorite beauty products for the month, and each subscriber gets the same box [although the colors of items may differ]. Keep a look out for my February Sample Society review next month! I can't wait to share it with you.

xoxo,
G

confessions of a lushie: part III

Surprise, surprise... I'm reviewing two more Lush products, perfect for holiday gift-giving!

Sparkler bath bomb | This rose-jam scented bath bomb is a nice little treat at the end of a busy week, with a smell that is so comforting and relaxing. In an effort to preserve this goody for more than one use, I broke the "stick" in half. The bomb has a sparkly center, which adds a bit of glimmer to your bath (that also sticks to your tub once the water is drained - which I personally don't mind). I felt quite relaxed, moisturized, and sweet smelling after soaking in the tub with this bomb. Even if you don't take baths often, I would recommend buying this product simply for the scent. I honestly steal a whiff of it a couple times a week.

Right now it's sold out online, but you may be able to find it at your local Lush store. It's also included in this luxurious gift set! I think Lush's bath bombs make the perfect holiday gift for a friend, for under $10.

BB Seawood fresh face mask | Once you get past the odd texture of this mask, you might just love it. This product was recommended to me after I found out the Catastrophe Cosmetic mask was sold out. The scent of the BB Seaweed mask reminds me of the beach - fresh and slightly salty. With calming and exfoliating properties, my skin feels smooth and refreshed after one use. The only downside is that the seaweed is slightly weird - there are substantial pieces that are sometimes difficult to wash off once the mask dries. But, I can get past the seaweed because this product truly lives up to its claims.

xoxo,
G

november ipsy

It's mid-November, so you know what that means... Ipsy glam bag review time!

makeup bag | by Forever 21 for Ipsy. Not the best, not the worst. I think I had this same makeup bag when I was in my LTD2 days. I will probably give this away to someone.

SeaRx Birchsap Moisturizing Lotion | I'm all for a good face moisturizer, so I was excited to test this one out. The sample is pretty small, but I have enjoyed using it. The lotion has a strong citrus smell to it, almost like clementines, which I love. The formula is very lightweight, and absorbs quickly. Is it a life changer? No. Is it nice to use? Yes.

Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hairspray | This product was one of the items that made this bag totally worth it. Argan oil seems to be very popular in haircare lately, and I've been dying to try something containing it. This hairspray is not sticky at all, and provides great volume and shine to my flat and dull hair. It also smells great, and doesn't tangle my hair like other hairsprays do. Win-win-win.

J.Cat Wonder Lip Paint | To be honest, this product confuses me. It claims to be a "lip paint," which I assumed meant it would perform like a lip stain. However, the formula of this lip product is very runny, more so than a gloss (swatched below). The liquidity of the product makes it difficult to apply straight from the tube, so I would recommend using a q-tip. It is very pigmented and does stain your lips, but wears like a gloss. I'm not the biggest fan, but I know I won't love everything each month. It was still fun to try this!

Starlooks Eyeliner pencil in ultra olive | As I told you in my first Ipsy review, I'm not a huge eyeliner gal. I don't wear it on a day-to-day basis because I think it makes my eyes look way smaller than they already are. However, I might give this one a try on a special occasion. I think this product might be nice because I can blend it up from my lash line and use it like a cream eyeshadow, rather than simply drawing a straight line across my lid. The color is beautiful (swatched below), and I think will complement my green eyes.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer | I saved the best for last! This under eye concealer is highly coveted in the beauty world, so I was quite happy to receive a sample. It really does what it says - conceals under eye bags, moisturizes, and even covers discoloration and acne. It is very thick, but I apply it with a Beauty Blender and it blends into my skin just fine. A little bit does go a long way. Also, this sample size will be nice to have in a bag for traveling.

[Top: Starlooks eyeliner.
Bottom: J.Cat lip paint]

This Ipsy glam bag was not too shabby! I loved that it had an array of different product types - hair, skin, and makeup. I have been using almost all of the products daily (except for the eyeliner and lip paint). Although some of the samples were smaller in November, I always feel like I get my money's worth each month. If you're interested in signing up for Ipsy, click here to get on the waitlist!

What beauty products have you been loving lately? I have a few more to report on in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned!

xoxo,
G

3 little luxuries under $3

Does any one else make impulse buys with the attitude of "treat yourself"? Me too. I love a good excuse to unwind and indulge sometimes. However, I am a believer that pampering yourself doesn't mean breaking the bank. I want to share with you three items that feel luxurious, but don't cost very much at all.

1] Sinnling vanilla pleasure candle from IKEA. $1.79
Lately, I've been lighting candles almost every night. No matter what I'm doing, there is most likely a candle or two burning in the background. These ones from IKEA smell great and are so inexpensive, you can stock up and feel no guilt. I must admit, the vanilla scent isn't incredibly strong, but the sweet berries scent is noticeably sweet and scented. Plus, they make a great housewarming gift!

2] Aussie 3-minute Miracle Color Conditioning Treatment, available at most drug stores. $2.97
I bought this after Kate from The Small Things Blog recommended it via Instagram. I thought, if a hairdresser recommends this treatment it must be good. And for $3, I didn't have much to lose. This product definitely proved its worth after the first use! Normally after I shampoo my hair, I put this on my ends while I wash my body, exfoliate, shave, etc. After about 3 minutes and a quick rinse, my hair feels silky smooth and stronger. This is a product I use about once or twice a week, when my hair is really feeling dry or damaged from heat styling. Try it, you will not regret it! Bonus: it smells light and feminine, with hints of camomile.

3] Vitamin C Microdermabrasion from The Body Shop. $2.50.
I'm all about a good face mask lately, but I must admit, I probably don't exfoliate my face as much as I should. With that in mind, I decided to try this microdermabrasion scrub after my best friend gifted it to me. It. is. good. The beads are not too coarse, but it really does get rid of any rough patches or dead skin on your face. I felt like it even cleared up my complexion a little bit. It has a pleasant smell, and the packet will last me two uses. If you're really feeling like giving yourself a complete spa treatment, exfoliate, then put on a mask for 10 minutes. Your skin will feel rejuvenated!

I hope you take at least 3 minutes out of your busy day and try some of these $3-and-less luxuries, or give them to a friend who needs some relaxation. What are your favorite ways to indulge on a budget?

xoxo,
G

confessions of a lushie: part II

For the past few weeks, my skin has just been feeling and looking blah. I often watch and research "nighttime skin routines" of beauty bloggers/vloggers, and mine pales in comparison. Keeping this in mind, I decided to purchase a face mask to help brighten and even out my complexion. Since I have recently become interested in making my beauty routine more natural and paraben-free, I decided to hit up my local Lush store.

The sales associates are very helpful (but sometimes pushy), so I asked one of the girls working if she could recommend a fresh face mask for my dull skin. She recommended The Sacred Truth, because it contains papaya to brighten the skin. She hit the nail on the head, because this face mask truly works! On the website, it is shown as an anti-aging mask, but I think anyone could use this mask for its hydrating and toning abilities.

This looks gross... But I actually enjoy the smell. It's clean and lingers after you use it.

The associate actually tried two different masks on my face, so that I could see which one I liked more. The masks must always be refrigerated due to their fresh ingredients, which provides a nice cooling sensation when applied. I loved The Sacred Truth mask because I could really tell it was brightening and moisturizing my skin. She then proceeded to use the Breath of Fresh Air toner after wiping off the mask, and gave me a nice little hand massage with the new Charity Pot lotion (loved both - possibly my next purchase). It was fun having a mini pampering session, and what seemed like a personal consultation. The lotion smelled amazing. It is a new formula that is self-preserving, with a slight floral scent. The best part is that 100% of Charity Pot purchase price is donated to small grassroots organizations specializing in conservation, animal rights, and human rights.

I also bought a Tea Tree Toner Tab, per the associates recommendation to clean out my skin. This tab is meant to be dropped into hot water, then you hover your face over the water with a towel to receive the "steam cleaning" benefits. I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know if it's worth purchasing!

Overall, I felt as though this mask was well worth it at $6.95, because it costs less than most other face masks, and has ingredients that are actually recognizable. I can tell that it is working, which is one more thing I love about Lush's products.

lush tips! | Lush fresh face masks only last about 28 days, and their expiration date will be listed on the product with a sticker. Fresh face masks are only available in store to purchase, and not in their online store.

Have you tried any Lush products since my last Confessions of a Lushie post? Do you have any other brands or recipes to keep your beauty routine more natural? Let me know by leaving a comment!

stay bright,
G