Tag: Beautystat
May 2025 Ipsy Icon Box – Erin & Sara Foster
Once again, I find myself wondering who this quarter’s Icon Box curators – Erin & Sara Foster – even are. I did a quick Google and found that they are Podcasters (don’t care) and made a semi-autobiographical Netflix Show (won’t watch). Cool, cool…but then I read farther down the article and figured out that they are just another set of Hollywood Nepo Babies with a record producer father that put them in Jenner/Hadid circles – and he is currently married to that weird American Idol lady. Safe to say they’ve lost what little legitimacy they may have had in my eyes…
ANYWAY, they curated this box and it easily one of the lamest Icon Boxes yet. I’ll start with the one product that is SOLID GOLD – Grande Cosmetics GrandeBROW Brow Enhancing Serum in Clear ($73). This shit WORKS. I do not know that I would pay $73 for it, but I have been using it every night for the last two weeks or so and I already can see a difference in my thin 90s brows. I am so glad I snagged this as one of my product choices.
I admit, I have not tried my other two product choices yet. I selected First Aid Beauty 0.3% Retinol Complex Serum with Peptides ($48) because I will be 50 next year and a facelift is not in my budget. I don’t remember why I picked Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi™ Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops ($39). It’s bronzer drops that you add to your foundation. I will literally never use this.
What am I going to do with Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel ($26)? I don’t have brows, so I might resell it. I will probably use the Beautystat Universal Triple Action Daily Peel ($29) instead of acne pads. I used the Rare Beauty All of the Above Weightless Eyeshadow Stick in “Integrity (Champagne) ($22) and it was quick and easy…but WAY overpriced. I’ll probably never use the Rodial Plumping Collagen Lip Oil ($38) for anything, except as lipstick remover.
I am absolutely IN LOVE with my final product though – Maison Louis Marie No.14 Icila Eau de Parfum ($93). It is worth every penny of that $93. Notes of ruby red grapefruit, plum and patchouli make this a hit for me. I’ve already used it half a dozen times since it arrived.
Another $368 box…of course, half of it might be going in the trash…
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
February 2025 Ipsy Icon Box – Gabrielle Union
Leave it to Gabrielle Union to come up with an ipsy Icon Box that I’ll actually try ALL of the products, instead of giving half of them away!
After several quarters of reality show stars and “influencers”, ipsy has nabbed an actually CERTIFIED movie star in Gabrielle Union. Homegirl is four years older than me and she looks as amazing as she did in the 90s. How even?
As soon as I saw it was an option, I SNATCHED the Anastasia Beverly Hills Nouveau Eyeshadow Palette ($55). Believe me when I say this palette might be as good as the OG – Modern Renaissance. (My eyes popped when I saw the price increase in just 8 years – from $42 to $55.) Nouveau has a full range of shades – classic neutrals to sparkling metallics to moody darks. I’ve only played with it once or twice, but I cannot wait to have an opportunity to go all out that isn’t a grocery store trip.
My other product choices were Origins Clear Improvement Blackhead Clearing Mask-To-Scrub ($37) and Dew of the Gods Amalfi Glaze Body Serum ($36). I did not read the label (AGAIN) on the Origins Mask and used it as a scrub in the shower the first time – oopsie. I used it as a mask the next time and I really liked it – it sucked the oil out of my pores like a fucking SHAMWOW. The Amalfi Body Serum smelled nice, but it made me sparkle like a stripper. I’ll save it for a special occasion.
Gabrielle’s picks included Beautystat Triple- Plump Coconut Milk Serum ($42); Byroe Oat Yogurt Moisture Barrier Cream ($106 – I’ve been using it as a night cream and it is SO luxurious…wish it wasn’t so spendy); First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA Fresh Strawberry ($30 – I love this for my bikini line…I’ll rotate it into my shower after I finish the Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Scrub); Make Up For Ever The Professionall 24HR Double-Ended Lifting & Volumizing Mascara in “Black” ($28 – I love the double brush design that lifts and thickens); and NARS Powermatte Lipstick in “American Woman” ($34 – although I love the Lolita-esque Chestnut Rose color, it’s a lipstick and didn’t last through a Taco Bell run).
This might be the best Icon Box I’ve received so far! $368 worth of products for less than $75…
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.