Author: Lara
November 2020 Ipsy Bag – Be Present
November’s product choice hit it OUT OF THE PARK. I chose Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte Lipstick Mini in “Dead Roses” and this is now my signature color! I swore that I would never go back to regular lipsticks after experiencing liquid lipsticks…but this lipstick applied like a dream and stayed put all day – even under a mask! It did get all over the inside of the mask, but that’s kind of unavoidable.
I sprayed on Commodity Gold and it was a very musky vanilla fragrance. It was alright, but I feel like I got a major headache after wearing it. I knew I had received a sample of it a few years ago…and it turns out that I HATED it. Ha.
Also in this month’s “Be Present” bag: Context Skin Nail Lacquer in “The Morning After”; Item Beauty Lid Glaze in “Desert Weekend”; and Lasting Smiles Vanilla Bean Blended Beverage Organic Lip Balm.
This month’s bag was a great selection of products – keep it up, ipsy!
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Shower Together
China Glaze “Shower Together” is just your basic teal crème polish. It is another polish shared from my friend, Lisa – and it was really striking on my nails.
This is two coats of “Shower Together” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. The shiny top coat really makes it POP!
The polish went on great, even though it’s fairly ancient, by polish standards. It was released back in 2008, as part of The Eco Collection! I have had several more recent China Glazes dry up already, but “Shower Together” is still going strong.
I have a lot of teal polishes, but they all seem to be shimmers, like China Glaze “Brought to You By…”, Sinful Colors “Magic Dragon”, Sally Hansen “Reflection Pool”, Formula X “Prismatic”, and Julep “Cozette”. I guess “Shower Together is more unique than I thought.
Irene
Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in “Irene” was in my October Allure Beauty Box – an almost nude, rosy pink. The brand is new to me – it’s quite good quality.
This is two coats of “Irene” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. My pinky is glossy with Glisten & Glow Top Coat, but I like the other matte nails, topped with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat.
Edge of Reality
It’s a bit odd that Ulta is now carrying KVD Vegan Beauty, as it’s a Kendo (a subsidiary of LVMH, like Sephora) brand, but okay…
The new KVD Vegan Beauty Edge of Reality Fully Recyclable Eyeshadow Palette ($45) is the first big release since the exit of Kat Von D from the brand. The aesthetic is the same, the quality is the just as nice and frankly, I’m here for a goth-y brand that doesn’t have a nutcase attached. I’ve been using the palette all week and it blends like butter. There is a fair amount of fallout with the shimmer shades, but it’s not too bad – and it gives me an excuse to use the Ulta Makeup Correcting Sponge ($4.99 normally, but $2.50 at BOGO 1/2). This sharp edged sponge is much better than using a wet Q-tip!
The first half of the BOGO 1/2 was a backup Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil – I’ cannot go without one. I also got two more Ulta Foaming Hand Soaps in “Pink Grapefruit” ($6, BOGO 1/2 as well) – they smell SO good. All of these Ulta Collection buys qualified me for a free 10 piece gift. Inside the pink snakeskin pouch: an eyeshadow palette (shimmery neutrals, perfect for the holidays); Luxe Lipstick in “Barely There” (almost too barely there for me – needs a liner maybe?); Mattifying Face Primer; Matte Eye Primer in “Nude”; Shiny Sheer Lip Gloss in “Bare”; New Heights Lifting Mascara in “Black” (will open and try soon); a Crease Eye Shadow Brush; a Flat Precision Eye Shadow Brush; and a Makeup Removing Cloth (I like using these on glittery eye pigment).
Oh, and of course a Zoya Remove+ ($10).
I was able to use a $15 off $75 coupon – MUCH better than Sephora’s 15% off code, which was running at the same time I made this purchase. Just $174 to Diamond in 2021…I’ll definitely make it, because I have a hair appointment next Saturday AND I placed an order this morning…
Put the Top Down
Nothing like a little neon pink for Halloween…
This neon pink – Orly “Put the Top Down” – was perfect for this year’s Halloween costume – pink flamingo. I literally dressed like a pink plastic lawn flamingo – it was my daughter’s idea.
Yeah, I’m about a week late – but this nail polish is SO outstanding that I’ve been wearing it for 9 DAYS. As a matter of fact, I just removed it a few minutes ago. Orly is just one of the best polishes out there. My only complaint is that there were a few thin spots in the coverage, even after the second coat, but c’est la vie.
This is two coats of “Put the Top Down” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Twisted Toffee
In my experience, toffee isn’t quite this orange…but I’ll allow it.
Sinful Colors “Twisted Toffee” is the other new Halloween “Candy-Inspired Spooky Polish”. It seems more caramel-y than toffee, but I’ll eat either.
Like its sister “Sour Apple Killer”, “Twisted Toffee” has an abundance of glitter – no fishing!
This is three coats of “Twisted Toffee” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
October 2020 Ipsy Bag – You’re Magic
Good old, reliable ipsy. I can always count on ipsy for a good bag.
Not only was this month’s bag out-of-this-world black pleather with gold embossing, but the contents kicked butt, too. I’ve been using the HELL out of the Illuminati Cosmetics Quad Palette in “Secret Society”. I’ve never heard of this brand before, but it’s really good quality.
My product choice this month was Tarte Maracuja Tinted Hydrator in “Fair Neutral”. I was shocked at how much coverage was in a tinted moisturizer. For me, it gave medium coverage while feeling light om my skin. It did get all over the inside of my mask, so that was annoying.
Also in this month’s bag: Benefit Gimme Brow+ Warm Golden Blonde 2 Volumizing Eyebrow Gel (I’ll literally never use this); Essence Cosmetics Pure Nude Highlighter 010 in “Popping Champagne” (this was a nice subtle highlighter – I liked it); and Timeless Beauty Bar Apres Sea Face Sheet Mask and Face the Day Face Sheet Mask Set.
All in all, a good mix of products – I’ll use 4/5. Allure better get their shit together or I am canceling and upgrading to Ipsy Plus.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Mrs. Mucus
Doesn’t the base of this polish remind you of Mrs. Mucus? That rude bitch who lives inside of your nose…
I wasn’t planning on getting this year’s Halloween collection…but…there it was in Walmart, just begging to go home with me. This is Sinful Colors “Sour Apple Killer”, a “candy-inspired” polish. I admit, it does quite look like a melted Jolly Rancher, even down to the little air bubbles.
Remember the ant-spider-baby-skulls? They’re back! And it appears that either the polish is a new and improved formula OR they put a fuck-ton more glitters into the bottle. Either way, I had no problem fishing them out of the bottle.
This is three coats of “Sour Apple Killer” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
October 2020 Allure Beauty Box – Screen Gab
$23 for this???
I was expecting at 4-5 full size products for $23, so imagine my surprise to get this box of tiny little random products.
The only product I’ve been using so far is the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream – I’ve been putting it on my face before I go to bed. It is a very heavy moisturizer, so not suitable for daytime. I definitely WILL use the Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in “Irene”, but it is not spooky enough for the few weeks before Halloween.
Also in this month’s “Screen Gab” box: The Nue Co. Topical C (powdered vitamin C that I am supposed to mix into other face products – way too much work for me); Verso Super Eye Serum (ugh); Sigma Liquid Lipstick in “Venom” (not even full size – rude – and I haven’t been bothering with lipstick since I cannot leave the house without a mask); La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+ (I literally just put this on my hands – it is kinda nice); Wilma Schumann Hydrating Collagen Eye Pads; and Rusk Native Fig Shampoo & Conditioner...just a single use foil pack! What a rip-off!
I’ll give Allure one more month to get their shit together or I am pulling the plug.
The Allure Beauty Box just increased their price from $15 to $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
Lucid Dream
Orly “Lucid Dream” reminds me of a shiny, new penny…how many penny polishes do I have? Julep “Penny”… Julep “Natalia”…OPI “Worth a Pretty Penne”…I don’t care, I’ll buy them all!
Orly nail polish is such great quality – amazing coverage and no brush marks! This is two coats of “Lucid Dream” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. My pinky got the matte treatment with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat, while the rest went shiny with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.