December 2016 Boxycharm First Look

I always look forward to getting my subscription boxes, but I have to admit, Boxycharm is my favorite box.  Every time I receive a box it has been worth every penny and then some.  If you want, this is my referral link.  When you refer a friend you receive 500 points.  You also receive points just for getting a box delivered! 

For $21.00 a month you get four to five full size products. The points earned take off money in the store.  The store isn't as extensive as Birchbox, but it's still pretty good.  1000 points will take off $10.00, 2000 takes off $20.00, and so on.  It also contains a card that lists the prices and information on the products you receive.

The theme this month was Makeup On Pointe.

Ofra

 So, first up is the Ofra Long lasting Liquid Lipstick in the color Napa Valley.  It was part of the Vintage Vineyard Collection.  It is a beautiful metallic plum color.  It loses some of its metallic glory on the lips and can look almost black but it is still gorgeous.  I was so impressed with how comfortable this is. Ofra makes a darned good liquid lipstick!  I think this would be stunning on a WOC.  It's very vampy on my skin tone, but I'm totally excited for it anyways!  This was the full size at $19.90.  This is a teeth yellowing shade, so be sure that you're pearly white ready.

IBY

I was sooooo hoping for a Makeup Geek eyeliner.  I haven't tried that yet and I love fun colors of eyeliner, but I got a lip liner by IBY in the shade Darling.  It is a pretty pink that is supposed to be waterproof and long lasting.  This was also full size and is $14.00.

Beauty for Real

This time of year and for any habitual user of liquid lipsticks, lip scrubs are a must, so I was very excited to see this in my box.  This is the Beauty for Real Lip Revival Scrub, it's full size and $14.00.  Which is a great price!  It has a cinnamon scent and I'm betting the cinnamon oil in it helps plump the lips a little.  It also has vanilla and orange.  This sounds fantastic.

Butter London

I adore Butter London.  It is usually a beautiful formula, that is richly pigmented, creamy, and long lasting.  This month we got a gorgeous berry wine shade called Ruby Murray.  This is a beautifully seasonal color.  It is 8 free, full size, and is $15.00.

Pure Cosmetics

UD Naked 3

I love that Boxycharm gives us full sized palettes.  This was from Pure Cosmetics and is their Buff Collection.  This is full size and is $50.00.  I think that's a little pricey for what is an Urban Decay Naked3 dupe.  It will need to be very good to make people not want to spend $4.00 more to get the UD version.  I do love my Naked3, so I think that anyone who doesn't already have that will be appreciative of receiving the Buff Collection.  I have such a hard time not writing, "Buffy" every time.

I liked this box.  It wasn't quite as amazing as last month's box but it was still fairly decent.

 *I got on point with my own money, nothing worked en pointe, except the Butter London.

* I did unbox on YouTube.

December 2016 Boxycharm!!!!♥

December 2016 Ipsy First Look

Yay!  It's my favorite time of the month!  Subscription box/bag time!  This is my December 2016 Ipsy bag. Ipsy is a $10.00 per month subscription bag.  You do earn points be reviewing the products and getting your friends to join, this is my referral code if you ever want to use it.  The Ipsy points have been doing better lately.  There have been lots of things under 1k points.

The bag

This month had a bright pink bag in a pony hair type material.  The strap is hot pink and metallic.  It looks like you could use this as a clutch.

The theme this month was Carpe P.M., so it looks like we're going to seize the night!  I love that theme!

Marc Anthony

 It's looks like Ipsy wants us to have great hair while we're seizing the night.  This is the Marc Anthony Nourishing Oil of Morocco Conditioning Treatment.  It is supposed to strengthen your hair and make it shiny.  My hair gets dry easily because it's very fine, so I'm excited about this.  It looks like it protects color too, so heck yeah!  It seems as though these come in packets with the same 1.69 fl oz of product for $2.99.  I like the bottle better.

Tarte

I love Tarte and I'm so excited that Ipsy included this.  Great skin does help your over all makeup look, so I think this also fits the theme.  I love the Tarte Maracuja Oil, I personally like mixing with my lotion or face cream to up the moisture power.  I also like putting a little in my hair and on my nail beds.  It is not tested on animals, is vegan, doesn't have parabens, mineral oil, phthalates, sulfates, or gluten.  This size is .23 fl oz and the deluxe travel size is .5 for $15.00.  It is made Brazil and filled in Taiwan.

Hikari

Okay, Ipsy is definitely sticking to the theme with a beautiful eyeliner in purple.  This Hikari Liquid Eyeliner in the color Iris.  It is full size at 1.5 grams for $15.00.  Purple eyeliners are great for people with brown or green eyes but I think they look good on everyone.  This is made in China.

Ciaté London

 I'm kinda impressed, this bag is actually on theme.  A liquid lipstick is great for a night out.  I have been wanting to try the Ciaté London Liquid Velvet Matte Liquid Lipsticks, so this was fortuitous!  This is in the color Pin Up and the site lists this as a berry shade and I don't know if my formula was off but this looks like a terracotta rose to me.  It's still pretty but I do think it favors a warm skin color.  This is made in Italy, is gluten, phthalate, cruelty, and paraben free.  It is also vegan.

Nyx

This color looks like it would be great for a night out, so omg a bag that works with a theme.  I know, I have an odd hang up on that, but how often do the products fit a theme?  This is the Nyx Prismatic Eyeshadow in the color Fireball.  It looks very similar to the Urban Decay eyeshadow also called Fireball that has a peach-pink shift.  This is the full size 1.24 gram that sells for $5.99.  This is made in China.

Overall, I'm happy about this bag.  I think Ipsy did a great job!

* I purchase my own bags, no one sends them to me out of the goodness of their hearts, lol.

December 2016 Ipsy

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Koosh Review

When Jaclyn Hill originally did this Classic Silver Neutral Smokey Eye, I fell in love with Koosh.  It was part of the Forever Freshman Collection, and unfortunately that was the only thing I wanted from that collection.  I couldn't make myself buy it.  When I finally talked myself into it, it was gone.  You know that thing that happens with Limited Edition collections.

It only made it worse that Tati reviewed the collection and praised Koosh.  I was a little sad that I hadn't jumped in and bought it.  So, when ColourPop brought it back for the 2016 Holiday collection I didn't hesitate.  I even let that be what talked me into the Sweet Set.  The Sweet Set was $16.00 when I bought it with my own money.  It is still on sale for $13.00 right now and contains Wink and Tinsel as well.

Sweet Set

Tati used Koosh again in her Nothing over $5 video, which really got me excited.  Tati is in my Top 5 YouTubers I Trust List.

Koosh is $5.00 for a full size 0.07 oz container of the product.  You don't have to buy it in the Sweet Set and can buy it by itself you're not into Tinsel and Wink.  It has a fun formula, kinda like a cream and powder got naughty on the egg nog.  ColourPop does not test on animals and they are made in the USA.  Most of the products are vegan.  Koosh is a vegan product.

They ship everywhere except: China, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region of the Ukraine, Sudan and Syria.

Holiday Packaging!!♥!!!

I really like the holiday packaging.  The box has leopard print and roses.  Btw you know how to tell the difference between leopard and jaguar print?  Jaguars have dots in the rosettes. Tada!  Anyways, the little pots are actually black this time, which I like as well.

Koosh

Koosh is an "icy silver taupe" in their ultra metallic formula.  I get a pink/purple undertone that helps it look pretty on the skin.  The ultra metallics are usually highly pigmented, very shiny and can sometimes be a little unwearable.  I have Liberty and it is very very silver and takes a more bold person than me to wear it in daily makeup.

After seeing Koosh in action on Tati and Jaclyn, I wasn't afraid.  I use my fingers to apply it and is pigmented, metallic, and blendable.  You can also use a brush, especially if you're rocking some epic stiletto nails.  It is very smooth and blends out well.  It looks good on the skin too, it doesn't fall into any lines my 35 year old eyes may have, it doesn't age me.  It gives almost a wet look.  It's so pretty! It also lasts all day and has no fall out.  This may actually be my favorite ColourPop shadow.  I have looked at so many videos on this and it really looks like it works on every skin tone.

It takes a basic look and knocks it up a notch.  You can also apply another shade over this and transform it.  I took a little bit of Cat Nap on the outer 1/2 of my lid, just before my dark outer V color and suddenly I had a glitter rose gold metallic, that looked like I had spent way more time than I actually had.  It almost makes up for my disappointment in Tinsel and Sleigh.

If I need to actually say it, this one is good and I was very happy with it.  I kinda wish I had just bought three of these and skipped out on Tinsel and Sleigh.  I know, that's not very positive of me.  It's the truth though.  Why is this Limited Edition?  Do they sell more having this LE than they would having it available all year?  I dunno.  But if you like it, go get it!


* I bought Koosh with my own money.  No one sent this to me, asked me to review nor have they ever, but if it happens, I'll let you know.

ColourPop Ultra Satin Lip Wink Review

To be honest, I didn't really give much thought to this lip.  I really wanted Koosh and Tinsel sounded fun, and tis the season for a plum, so I went with the Sweet Set.  When I bought it, it was $16.00, but right now it is on sale for $13.00.  All the products are full size.

Sweet Set

Wink is made in the USA, not tested on animals, vegan, and gluten free.  ColourPop ships everywhere except: China, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region of the Ukraine, Sudan and Syria.

ColourPop is well known for the low price of its products.  Wink is only $6.00 for 3.2 grams of liquid lipstick.

Ultra Satin Lip

This packaging is the Holiday 2016 packaging and I'm a fan.  I like the black lid and border and the frosted tube.  I'm hoping the black lettering lasts longer than the usual holographic lettering, but I won't cry myself into a puddle if it doesn't.

The lip brush is a small doe foot that is good for application, but a lip brush would probably be better.   I mentioned in my Small Haul that I didn't know what this smelled like because I couldn't smell stuff.  My cold is almost gone and this smells like a typical liquid lipstick with a slight chemical scent.

Wink

Wink appears darker than it does in the swatches given on the ColourPop website.  It is supposed to be a "deep pinky plum" and that does feel quite apt.  It has berry tone aspirations.  It is a lovely color for the season and I was very happy that I had gotten it.

When I test the liquid lipsticks, I usually don't apply liner because I want to feel the lipstick on its own.  The formula is a little streaky, but not like Dahlia bad.  It easily layers and can build to a deeper shade.  It applies like a creamy mousse.

After about six hours that had included eating, this definitely looked worn and had faded in patches.  I applied a lip balm over it and it looked pretty good, except for the slight feathering that had happened at the edges.

Normally, the Ultra Satin Lip formula is a favorite of mine because it is usually very comfortable and while it does transfer, it lasts long and doesn't end up on my teeth.  This was slightly more drying than the other Ultra Satin lips I have.

The good is that this color is very pretty, can be built up, and can be revived easily.  It would benefit from a lip liner as that would solve some of the streak issues and the feathering.  It would probably prolong the wear as well.  The down side is that it isn't as comfortable as the usual Ultra Satin lips, but by no means as drying as the Ultra Matte Lip.

I would probably buy this shade again, but I don't really see that happening for a while.

* I winked myself into this purchase with my own paycheck.  I won't say hard earned this time because I actually kinda like my job lol.

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Tinsel Review

I could live my life in a glitter bomb.  ColourPop's Super Shock Shadow in Tinsel sounded like a Christmas party on my lids and I was all in.  I did get it as part of the Sweet Set, which had Koosh and Wink as well.  I bought the Sweet Set at $16.00 but it is on sale for $13.00 right now.  All of the products were full size.

Sweet Set

To be honest, I really mostly wanted Koosh and since this looked interesting, I thought, why not get the set?

ColourPop

It is $5.00 for a full size 2.1 gram container of the product.  It has a cream and powder wonderfully weird formula that just seems to work for them.  They do not test on animals and they are made in the USA.  Most of the products are vegan.  This one is a vegan product.

They ship everywhere except: China, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region of the Ukraine, Sudan and Syria.

Tinsel

This is the Holiday 2016 packaging and I adore it.  I really like the black, but maybe I just like it because it's different.  Tinsel is supposed to be an icy smokey lavender in the metallic finish.  I honestly can't really tell the difference between the pearlized and the metallic finishes.  They are both fun.  I do get a ruddy hint of warmth in this shadow that takes it from the average cool greyed lavender.  I think that hint lends it to being more flattering on every skin tone.

This was previously released in the Not a Box of Chocolates set.

Part of the magic of ColourPop is that especially with the pearl and metallic finishes, you can just tap the color on with your finger and run out the door and look like you made some sort of effort.  Especially if you brush on a transition color, crease, maybe a little deep color at the outer V.  Suddenly you look like you spent more time than you actually did.

Tinsel has good pigment and actually shows up with some color on your lids with the glitter. The glitter was on the chunkier side, which I like/dislike depending on my mood and look I'm going with.   However, much like Sleigh, I was about to find a down side I don't usually find with ColourPop shadows.  I had a ton of fall out.  Not at first, at first there was only a little.  I had read that people were experiencing fall out and I thought, "Well, this isn't so bad, I can live with this."

Silly, silly me.  I thought that was the fall out others had mentioned.  At the end of the day I had about half the glitter under my eyes.  Unlike Sleigh, there was still pigment left on my lids.  So, that was good.

Left to Right: Tinsel and Cricket

If you watched my Small Haul (you probably didn't, it's okay), I mentioned that people are saying that Tinsel was very similar to Cricket.  That's very true.  In the container they look almost identical.

Left to Right: Cricket and Tinsel

When you swatch them, it's easy to tell that Cricket lives in the land of sugared violets and Tinsel is lighter with more of a rosy tone.

I think Tinsel is a lovely color and if the fall out was just at the beginning, I would probably like this a lot more.  Perhaps a glitter glue would solve my issue, but this is ColourPop.  This is my quick look makeup.  If I want to use glitter glue, I'd use the Moondust palette or something.

 I like having it, but I probably wouldn't purchase it again.  If you are really into this beautiful color and don't mind glitter fall out or are willing to put in the work, you might really like this.  If those are things you don't want to do, you probably shouldn't bother with this.

* I got with tinseled with my own small pay check.

ColourPop Ultra Satin Lip Bijou Review

The description of a color sometimes is all we have to totally sell us on something.  So when ColourPop released Bijou telling me that it was a cool toned rose, I popped that right into my cart.

ColourPop

Bijou is made in the USA, not tested on animals, vegan, and gluten free.  They ship everywhere except: China, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region of the Ukraine, Sudan and Syria.  I have heard that shipping can still be pretty expensive and some people still prefer to use Shipitto.

ColourPop is well known for its amazing pricing.  It is only $6.00 for 2.85 grams of product.

Holiday packaging

Right off the bat, let me say I love this packaging.  There is a black cap and border.  The tube is frosted and clear and the brand is printed in black.  The box is super cute too.

The applicator is a small doe foot and does allow you to apply the color quite well, although a lip brush would also be great.

Bijou swatch

Now when I saw the tube in the Small Haul I did, I was sooooo excited.  It was a lovely cool toned rose in the tube.  I keep saying "in the tube" for a reason.  This swatch is pretty but alludes to what is about to happen on my lips.

It turned purple.  Straight up purple on my lips.  I had roses once that were purple, but that isn't what I thought I was getting in this color.  I like purple lips.  But I thought it was going to be the color in the tube.

I even searched pictures on this and watched videos.  It turns purple on everyone.  I thought it might just be me or I might have an off batch of the color.  Nope.

Rose tube, purple lips

The formula is comfortable.  It dries down after a while but it is transferable.  It lasts quite a while but may need a touch up after eating.  It is opaque and has a mousse texture.

I don't know how I feel about this.  I think I would like this more if the description had called this a medium deep cool toned plum rose.  I would have known what the color was and liked it.  But saying a cool toned rose made me think this was going to be pink.  I thought I was getting a perfect daily wear lipstick.

So, if you get this thinking you're getting a rose color, you may be disappointed.  If you like purple, you might be okay with this.  If after seeing stuff about this, you know it will be a pretty purple, and you buy it, you will get what you're expecting.

I love the packaging.  I was really hoping for the color in the tube, so I am slightly disappointed.  However, I also like purple lipstick and this is a pretty purple, so I like it for that.

I guess I'm confused lol.

*I bought Bijou by myself.

ColourPop Super Shock Shadow Sleigh Review

 I have a certain love of green eye shadows.  When ColourPop discontinued Chipper, I was actually sad.  I gaped at the email I received about the products they were discontinuing and my lips dropped into an unfamiliar shape.  I think it's called a frown.

ColourPop

As it's the holidays, I went to ColourPop to get a few gifts on my list.  As you can tell from my Small Haul, I did a little shopping for me too.  I'm a very bad person.  When I saw the description for ColourPop's Super Shock Shadow Sleigh, I totally wanted it.  It had previously been released in the Not a Box of Chocolates Holiday Collection, which I think was released in 2014.

Sleigh

I was hoping this silvery sage green with multicolored glitter in a metallic finish, would help me move on from Chipper.  As usual, the Super Shock Shadow is 2.1 grams of product is $5.00.  It is  made in the USA, not tested on animals,  is vegan, and gluten free.  They ship everywhere except: China, Turkey, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimean region of the Ukraine, Sudan and Syria.

Unlike the usual pots, the holiday ones are in black pots, which I really like!  As usual, the formula of the ColorPop shadows is unusual.  They are sort of a solid cushy mousse texture.

The swatch and initial application is quite pigmented.  I did notice that as rumor had it, unlike the other ColourPop shadows I've tried, this one actually had quite a bit of fall out.  It was really pretty though.  So, I cleaned up under my eyes, blinked away the chunks that some how landed in my eyes and went on with my day.

A couple hours later, when I looked in the mirror I was very surprised to find more fall out and that my Sleigh had flown right off my eyes.  Only a small amount of glitter clung to my lids, like my hopes and dreams for a Chipper replacement.

So, I cleaned up my eyes and since I was home, I redid my eye makeup.  On one eye, I used a glitter glue.  Yeah.  I used a glitter glue with a ColourPop shadow.  On the other eye I used a cream shadow pencil under Sleigh.

Both of these prolonged the wear, but I was still pretty disappointed in this shade.  I haven't been so disappointed since Bae.  I don't think I even did a review on that one I was so disappointed.  This is a pretty color, but it has a lot of fall out and it doesn't last as long as many of their other shadows.  I would not repurchase this.

If you want to spend the time to make it stay, you may like this.  But if what you like about Colourpop shadows is a quick look that requires your fingertips, you will not be happy with this at all.  Not to mention the shocking amount of fall out.  I looked like my under eyes had ran though a glitter fight.

* I got on my own high horse to take a ride on this Sleigh.  I paid for it myself.

ColourPop Small Haul Mostly Holiday 2016

November 2016 BoxyCharm First Look ♥♥♥

I always look forward to getting my subscription boxes, but I have to admit, Boxycharm is my favorite box.  Every time I receive a box it has been worth every penny and then some.  If you want, this is my referral link.  When you refer a friend you receive 500 points.  You also receive points just for getting a box delivered! 

Boxyawn

  For $21.00 a month you get four to five full size products. The points earned take off money in the store.  The store isn't as extensive as Birchbox, but it's still pretty good.  1000 points will take off $10.00, 2000 takes off $20.00, and so on.  It also contains a card that lists the prices and information on the products you receive.

The theme this month was Groovy Town.

Vintage by Jessica Liebskind

There were a couple different kind of blushes you could receive.  Some lucky people got Makeup Geek blushes.  I love the box on this.  It has matte white with metallic gold roses.  I love roses.  The actual blush package is matte white with the brand in metallic gold lettering.  This is the Vintage by Jessica Leibeskind Illuminating Face Highlighter, this one is in Rose Gold.  It is $32.00 for the full size 8.16g, which was in the box.  It looks as though this can be used as a highlighter or blush topper.

Skyn

The Skyn Icelandic Relief Eye Cream Pen with glacial flower extract is something I have been wanting to try.  This was the full size and it is 3.97 g for $20.00.  It has the usual claims for an eye cream, banishing dark circles, fine lines, puffiness, and some light crime fighting.  Okay, maybe not the last part.  I was excited about this, although, I would have been happy to receive the marula oil some received in their boxes.

 There was also this Bellápierre Kiss Proof Lip Crème in Antique Pink.  Again, this was a full size and was 3.8 g for $20.00.  Another bonus?  This color says, "Coming Soon" on Bellápierre's site.  So, it seems we got a preview of this color, maybe?  It is darker than it appears in the bottle, which can either be good or bad.  I really liked the color in the bottle, but the dusty mauve color is pretty too.

Crown

I love getting brushes in my box!  It's a good thing this one came, my other pencil brush is from Sigma and it's looking a little ragged.  This is the C513 Pro detail Crease by Crown and is $12.99.  It is Capra hair (goat).  It has little indents on the side for comfort when holding.  It is dense and soft.

Studio Makeup

Yay!  A cool toned palette!  I love Boxycharm!  This is the Studio Makeup On-the-Go Palette in Cool Down.  It is a full size 13.5 g palette with 9 shadows.  It sells for $49.95.  I am so excited!  I especially love the burgundy color.  Also, the buff color.  And the rose gold.  okay, I'm just really excited for the whole thing!

Okay, Boxycharm did a GREAT job this month.  This was $134.94 worth of products and most of them, I'll use!How do they keep being so awesome?  I'm thinking it's run by wizards and witches.  It'll come out in a Potterverse movie.  Don't burst my bubble!

Did you see? I started my own YouTube Channel!  Okay, it's very basic, but I'm broke and film with my phone with natural light lol.

* I purchased Boxycharm with my own hard earned cash.