'Ip, 'Ip, 'Ooray! August Ipsy Unbagging

I can't believe it's already time for the August ipsy unbagging! This Summer has flown by. Before too long, it'll be time for pumpkins and ghosts. Heck, the Hobby Lobby near me already has Christmas decorations out. Maybe next month I should go pick out my Valentines...

Anyhoo, here's what I got in my "Glamour Academy" bag:

You know, I saw spoilers before I received the bag, and I thought I was going to HATE the "cheesy" gold crests. I even had a DIY project all planned out to fix it up. Surprisingly, I kind of love this bag in person. The eggplant and gold look beautiful together, and the whole design gives off a Harry Potter-like vibe. I'm digging it; not going to lie.

Inside the bag I found Pacifica BB Cream, Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Scrub, City Color Cheek Stain in Pink, Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla, and Pixi Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black. I received my bag on Friday, right before I left to go out of town for the weekend, and took them all with me. I've used these items for a few days now, so I think I can give you some real, honest-to-God reviews on them. We'll go in order of favorite to least.

Michael Todd Jojoba Charcoal Scrub: Wowzers! This is one that I might actually buy. It left my skin feeling clean, soft, smooth, and refreshed. Thomas used it too, and really enjoyed it. It's a black scrub that you can really feel working, but doesn't hurt. It also wiped away with no residue, which is always a plus. My skin had been ravaged by a weekend of road-tripping and pop culture convention-ing, so this scrub was really put to the test, and passed with flying colors.

Noya Lip Balm in Vanilla: It's a lip balm. I wish I could say that it was life-changing, but I can't. It smells good (like cupcakes) and moisturizes my lips, but I don't think it's any better than my Fresh Sugar Treatment, Burt's Bees, or Blistex. It is all-natural, though, so that might be a deal maker for some folks.

City Color Cheek Stain in Pink: This is a pretty decent cream blush stick. I don't know about staining, per se, but I didn't notice any fading. The color appears downright scary in the stick, but sheers out to a lovely pink flush. I can't see myself reaching for it all the time, personally (I'm more of a peachy-pink or dusty rose kind of girl), but it would be great for travel.

Pacifica BB Cream: This...kind of sucks. I really hate that, too, because I love Pacifica and was excited to try this product. It provides zero coverage, and doesn't do that great of a job evening out my skin tone. On top of that, it's super shimmery. Yes, the shine does lessen with powder. Yes, it does look more even after concealer. No, I will not be buying this. It's fine in a pinch, but that's about it. The color "adjusts" to your skin tone, supposedly. It looks too dark to me, but ended up blending in well, so maybe it does adjust. I don't know. It would probably work well on legs, if nothing else. Save yourself some money and get the Garnier BB Cream if you're in the market for a good drugstore find with a radiant finish.

Pixie Lash Booster Mascara in Blackest Black: No. Just...no. It did nothing for my lashes. After two coats, they were slightly tinted. Also, the mascara went everywhere during application. The brush is okay, but the formula is terrible. I'm a Buxom fan, and this did nothing to sway me. If you want a more natural look, give Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes a try. It's less in-your-face than the Buxom, but a much better formula than the Pixie.

This was not a great month for ipsy--for me, anyway. I definitely got more than my ten bucks' worth, but I'm really only going to use two, maybe three of the items on a regular basis. That said, this was my first "dud" month out of five, so that's not too shabby. I'm already excited to see what September brings!

P.S. If you're interested in ipsy, here's my referral code. Yes, there are rewards for referring people, but they're not great enough for me to blindly shill for them. I genuinely like the program. :)   http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hckwnapypcnq7c4

Hey, Mr. Postman!: Top Five ELF Products Worth the Shipping

You've gotta love E.L.F.

If you're on a budget (and aren't we all?), those little one- and two- and three-dollar price tags can be pretty darn hard to resist. I mean, come on! How am I supposed to say no to a lipgloss that looks just like Stila's Lip Glaze, but only costs a buck? I could get twenty-two of the E.L.F. for the price of a single Stila! Not that I need twenty-two lipglosses, but it's the principle.

Unfortunately, the downside to having ridiculously low prices is that, by comparison, your online shipping rates can look a tad on the high side. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time paying more for shipping than for the item to be shipped. Sure, you could try to find your item locally, since Target and select Walgreen's carry an assortment of E.L.F. products. They just don't have anywhere close to the entire line, meaning that there are times when you can't circumvent the shipping costs. With that, I have compiled a list of the top five ('cause that seemed like a good number) E.L.F. products worth the cost of shipping.

Now, please bear in mind, this is not a list of the five best E.L.F. products. These are items that are A) high-quality, B) classically useful (not just super trendy and fun--these are warhorses), C) either difficult to dupe with a readily available item, or are dupes of much more expensive items. Basically, these are items that, were you to add the almost seven dollar shipping charge to the original amount, you would still come out ahead. Now, on to the list!

5. Studio Lip Exfoliator ($3)
I'm a fan of making my own lip scrubs, but they're not always the most travel-friendly option. This little gem is unique in the fact that the scrub comes in a solid form and is housed in a cute little lipstick tube. You can toss this in your purse or travel bag and not worry about sugary liquid spilling out of a tub and onto your other products. The scrub smells and tastes like yummy maple and brown sugar, and is chock full of skin-loving ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and jojoba oil. Even at what amounts to a $10 price point ($3 + $7 shipping), it's a good buy.

4. Studio Lip Lock Pencil ($3)
If  you wear brightly colored lipstick, this is a must-have in your kit. This pencil outlines the outside of your lipline to keep color from feathering or creeping into any fine lines. There are a couple of drugstore varieties of this product, but I have yet to actually see one in a brick-and-mortar store. If you go the Sephora route, a clear lip liner--which is all this is, really--will run anywhere from $14-$20. The E.L.F. version works like a dream and, even with shipping, is still easier on your wallet.

3. Studio Eye Shadow "C" Brush ($3)
This is a very basic eyeshadow brush, but it's one of the best I've ever worked with. I use mostly Real Techniques now, but every now and then I grab this one, and am reminded how awesome it is, and wonder why I don't use it more often (why don't I use it more often?). The brush has a sleek handle design and very densely packed synthetic bristles. It picks up product really well, lays it down really well, and blends really well. Basically, it performs really well (in case you hadn't picked up on that). If you're going to spend ten bucks on an eyeshadow brush, this is the one to buy.

2. Studio HD Blush ($3)
Considered to be a dupe for Make Up For Ever's HD Blush, E.L.F.'s version packs a very pigmented punch. It's creamy, applies smoothly, and wears well. It's a top notch formula, and a steal at a ten-dollar price point.

1. Studio High Definition Powder ($6)
HD powder is a silica-based finishing powder that can be used to set makeup, but is mainly utilized for its airbrushing effect. It leaves skin looking flawless, silky smooth, and camera-ready. There are several on the market (most notably by Make Up For Ever), and tend to carry low-volumes and high-prices. E.L.F.'s version is only six bucks--expensive by E.L.F.'s standards--and you get a figurative ton of product. Yellow and Shimmer versions are also available, but the standout is the original transluscent powder. With shipping, it'll set you back about $13, but you'll still be getting more bang for your buck.

Of course, this is assuming you only need to purchase one item. But I know none of us would ever go makeup crazy on the E.L.F. website...right?...Guys?...Hey! Wait up!! I need some brow gel...and lip gloss...and a blush...and.........

January Favorites

This month has flown by!!! I'm sorry for the sporadic posting, but here's to getting back on track! Today, I have a list of favorites for the month, and I have to say, I surprised myself with some of these. I bet they surprise you, too. Let's have a look, shall we?

Eyes
Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Inked in Pink
These cream shadows are utterly amazing. I think I may like them even better than their high-end counterparts! This pink is shiny, rosy, and makes for a beautiful wash of color that lasts until you take it off. For a five-minute face, this is ideal. I've already picked up the (less wearable, but just as gorgeous) blue metallic shade, and am seriously considering a few others.

MAC Apres Chic Eyeshadow in Ice
I've been using this in the inner corner, and it gives just enough warm sparkle to brighten up your look without reminding everyone of Tinkerbell. The color reminds me of snow, but snow that's looked at from inside a warm cabin, while you drink a cup of cocoa. If that makes sense. Which it probably doesn't.

Lips
Homemade Brown Sugar Lip Scrub
DO NOT BUY LIP SCRUB, PEOPLE!!!! Take a tablespoon of butter, melt it, and add just enough brown sugar to make a thick paste (around three tablespoons, give or take). Rub on lips. That's it. The butter is moisturizing and the sugar is rough and, well, scrubby. It takes off dead skin like a dream, and tastes good enough that you could spread it on toast--literally. Best of all, it's pretty much free. Keep the rest in the fridge to use later. I made this to use during filming, since I was in red lipstick, and we all know how pretty red lipstick looks on flaky lips. Our leading man used it, too, and threatened to take it home with him.

Face
Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Love
This product kept showing up on my radar, and I finally had to try it out. Now, I'm in love. This is the best stick blush I have ever used! The color is very natural, it blends like a dream, and the staying power is pretty darn good, compared to other stick blushes. I also feel like I'm doing something good for my skin when I use it. Again, for busy gals, this is a must-have. You don't even need a highlighter with it!

Tarte 12-Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface
This is not the most fantastic, life-changing blush ever (see above), but I find myself reaching for it more and more. The color is a beautiful, cool pink, and the texture lends itself to blending into the skin. It's just a really good, pigmented, serviceable blush.

Skin
Olay 2-in-1 Daily Facial Cleansing Cloths
These removed greasepaint. Game. Set. Match.

Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Clinical Dark Spot Corrector
I've been using this in conjunction with the overnight peel, and I do think my dark spots are *slightly* lighter. It's only been about a month (which, yeah, I know they said results in four weeks, but let's be real, here), so I'm still on the fence, but the moisturizer is really good, regardless. It's lightweight, smells like apples, doesn't leave my skin looking shiny, and doesn't break me out. If it lightens up spots, that's just gravy.

MVP
Urban Decay Naked Basics
I can not believe I'm adding this to favorites, much less inventing a new category for it! The thing is, hardly a day has gone by that I haven't used this palette. A matte highlight here, a sheer wash of color there. Need a satin inner corner? How about a blending color, or a smudgy liner? Naked 2 and W.O.S. are getting some serious love these days, and the palette is on the fast track to making the Best of 2013 list. I'm shocked, but it's just that functional.

Review: Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub

I ran out of my Olay Skin Smoothing Cream Scrub--which I love--and thought that now would be a good time to try out this Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub that I keep seeing everywhere. I've been using the Simple wipes for months and really like them, and my Mom's been raving about their undereye roller. Ulta sent me a $5 off coupon, so really, there was no time like the present. I snapped up one of the last bottles in the store, and excitedly went home to wash my face.

Um...I don't like it. At all. Not. A. Fan.

Let's break this down:

The Good
I like the packaging. The product comes in an inverted Spring green squeeze tube. The tube is also translucent, so you can see how much product you have left and not be caught off guard by an empty tube. The print work on the tube is attractive and...well, simple. I'm also impressed by Simple's promise to never use dyes, fragrances, or irritants, as well as their low price point. This tube was $7.99 before coupon.

The Bad
This stuff smells awful. I'm all for not using perfumes, but this product doesn't smell "natural"; in fact, it smells downright chemical. That's actually the word Thomas used to describe it when I asked him to sniff the tube. To me, the scrub reeks of bug spray. It's just not pleasant.

Another thing that's not pleasant is the exfoliator. Simple uses rice granules, but they're so large that they don't so much smooth your skin as assault it. If I wanted to scrape my skin, I could just use my fingernails, thank you. Also, the granules do not dissolve, so if you use this in the bath (and I do), the granules stay in the bath water. Granted, this does mean that they, in effect, scrub your entire body, but not well, not comfortably, and not on purpose. It's just kind of gross.

The Ugly
In in a fancy circle on the front of the tube, you'll see the word "moisturizing". Ignore that. My skin has felt tight and dry after each washing. I've also experienced some breakouts, but I can't definitively point to this as the culprit. I'm pretty sure, but can't say for a fact.

I'm stuck with this stuff for the moment, so I'll keep you posted if anything new develops. The wipes are great. I've really enjoyed the toner. This is not up to par with those. If you're looking for an inexpensive scrub, go with the Olay. I know I will be.

Final Verdict: 3.6 out of 10. Try the line, but skip this.