July 2013 Ipsy Bag

Last month, I received my first Ipsy bag (see my post HERE). While the bag included five full size makeup products, none of the items impressed me and I was not able to use any of them. Unfortunately, the exact same thing happened with this month’s July bag. I have been debating whether I should cancel my Ipsy subscription right away or give it another month or two.

Despite the fact that I will not be using any items from July’s Ipsy bag, I will admit that the items were much better and more age appropriate (for me) than last month.

First, let’s talk about the bag…

As a former subscriber of Glymm, I have accumulated many of these mini makeup bags over the past few years. Therefore, I will only keep new ones if I love the pattern. Sadly, much like last month, I really dislike the design of this month’s Ipsy bag.  It’s a sticky pink see-through plastic that feels cheap and very 90s in my opinion. However, I know that a lot of people love this shade of pink so I will send the prizes from one of my giveaways in this bag.

Now onto the makeup items…

1. POP Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon: This product is one of the better items that came in this month’s bag. It is also the only full size item that was sent this month.  I really do like lip crayons and this one is meant to be very hydrating and long lasting. My issue with this product is the shade (I received Rose Romance). While the name sounds pretty, the product has a brown base so I will not be trying it since colours of this nature often turn orange on me. I would have preferred one of the other shades sent in Ipsy bags this month.

2. BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow Sample: The colours in this palette (purple, bronze, gold) are inspired by San Francisco, California. I decided not to remove the packaging from this product because the colours do not interest me so I thought I would save it to give away. I also do not wear a lot of colourful eyeshadow so I thought it would be a better idea to pass it along to someone who does.

3. Benefit Benetint: Almost everyone has encountered one of these little Benetint samples at some point, either from Sephora, Ulta, a Benefit kit, or one of the other sample subscription services. Since I love Benetint and use it often, I have a full size bottle that I bought two years ago. It’s still over 90% full so I can’t see myself ever needing to open this little sample. I will save it to give away as well.

4. Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray: I’ve said many times before that I really do not enjoy receiving skincare or haircare samples. I like my fine hair to look very fresh and clean so a texturizing spray is not something that I will ever use. I know that a lot of people really love that beachy look in the summer though so I’m sure that this sample will be welcomed by a lot of Ipsy subscribers.

5. Coola Mineral Sunscreen SPF 20: I have heard nice things about this brand but I’m pretty happy with the La Roche Posay sunscreens that I use and I know that they won’t irritate my very sensitive skin. I don’t like skincare samples because I’m not interested in straying from the products that I currently use. Hopefully Ipsy will personalize my future bags now that I have filled out reviews for products from the past two months.

Overall, I cannot really see myself using any of these samples. They are just not a good fit for me and it makes me wonder if Ipsy  actually took my beauty profile/survey into consideration when selecting my items. I have not decided if I will subscribe to Ipsy for much longer. I will wait until next month to see how I feel. I think that the price is right at $10 but I don’t like paying $4.95 for shipping. This additional fee makes the bag more expensive than Topbox which sends items that are more appropriate for my preferences.

What are your thoughts on Ipsy?

Giveaway & Review: Incoco Nail Polish Strips

Over the last month I have reviewed Incoco Nail Polish Strips in Very Rosy and Sweet Spots. Today I’m going to review Tickle Pink, a rosy shade with a pretty, satin finish, and also give away a set of strips (you choose the colour or design) to one of my lucky followers! Enter at the bottom of this post.

Read on for the review and giveaway.



While I normally gravitate toward cream finish polishes, I absolutely love the shimmery sheen on these nail strips. They are very iridescent and remind me of mother of pearl seashells. For this reason, I think it’s accurate to describe Tickle Pink as a seashell pink.



Like Sweet Spots and Very Rosy, Tickle Pink came with sixteen double-ended strips that last on the nails for up to 14 days. The strips also came with a little nail file, an orange stick, and application instructions. I found that these specific strips were a little thicker than the patterned ones and were even easier to apply. I wore the strips for a full two weeks before easily removing them with a cotton pad and regular nail polish remover. After two weeks the strips looked almost exactly the same as they did the day that I applied them.



Applying the strips was a very easy task. First, I buffed my nails gently using the nail file in the kit. Next, I prepped my nails by wiping away traces of oil with a polish remover. After selecting a strip to fit my nail, I peeled away the plastic on both sides of the strip and placed the strip as close as I could to my cuticle without allowing it to touch the skin. I then smoothed down the trip with my finger and ran the orange stick from the kit around the edges to smooth out any uneven spots. To remove any excess, I folded the strip over to meet the tip of my finger and gently separated the strip from my nail with the file. Application time for all ten nails took less than ten minutes.



One thing that I really love about the strips is that they are made of real nail polish that is 3-free, so the polish does not contain any harmful dbp, toluene, or formaldehyde. Being made of real nail polish also allows the strips to last much longer than nail stickers made of other materials. Another great aspect of these strips is that they are not tested on animals and are cruelty free.



Over the last year I have tried many different types of nail strips, and I would say that the Incoco strips are most comparable to those from Sally Hansen in terms of application and wear time. I do find that Incoco has more unique design and colour options than Sally Hansen, as well as a lower price tag.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the nail strips from Incoco and I will definitely purchase from this company in the future.  I really like using nail strips because there is no drying time and, in my opinion, they last so much longer than liquid nail polish on my nails. They also don’t make my house smell like nail polish and there is nothing to clean up after application.

The Incoco nail strips can be purchased from http://www.incoco.com. The website also includes a store locator.

GIVEAWAY:
Incoco was generous enough to offer a set of nail strips to one of my lucky followers. The winner will get to choose a set of strips in the design/colour of his/her choice. The contest is open to residents of the USA and Canada. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway begins today and ends on Friday, August 16. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTD: Essie No Baggage Please

Of the four polishes that were released with Essie’s 2013 wedding collection, No Baggage Please was the shade that most appealed to me. I’m always drawn to pastel baby pink shades and this one is rather unique.

First off, the formula is less of a stark creme like other polishes of its kind, and leans more toward a jelly-like formula. The colour itself has neutral to warm undertones that give my skin a healthy, rosy hue.

While it’s a bit difficult to see in the photos, this polish contains very fine particles of silver micro glitter that are most visible in direct sun light. The shimmers mix well into the formula and they do not make the polish feel rough in any way.

As for application, I was a bit surprised by this polish. Aside from Fiji, many of Essie’s light pink shades are quite sheer. However, No Baggage Please covered most of the nail with just one coat. That said, this polish was somewhat streaky and still looked uneven in spots after three coats. In spite of this, the polish looked smooth for the most part and would complement a white wedding dress.

Overall, I believe that I will get a lot of use out of No Baggage Please. It’s perfect for everyday wear and it makes the nails look neat and clean.