Ipsy Bag - April 2014! Pics, Swatches, Mini Reviews & Value Breakdown

Hello, Beautiful!

This is my April 2014 Ipsy bag! Check out below to see what I received, a little about each product and my thoughts, as well as a break-down of the value of this month's bag!

Ipsy is just $10 a month! Each month you'll receive 4 to 6 deluxe or even full-sized products. If you want to sign-up for your own Ipsy bag, CLICK HERE (it's my referral link - you don't have to use my referral link; it only gives me points that I can save up to redeem for prizes in the future).

April 2014 Ipsy Bag

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's Ipsy Bag: $52.78 (value is approximate & does not include value of actual bag)
• Total # of Items Received: 5
• # of FULL SIZED items: 2
• # of makeup items: 3
• # of nail items: 0
• # of hair care items: 1
• # of skin care items: 1
• # of body care items: 0
• # of fragrance items: 0

Now I'll talk about each product...

Cailyn Cosmetics - Tinted Lip Balm
Shade: Apple Pink

• MY THOUGHTS: I've tried Cailyn Cosmetics in the past and have enjoyed their products, and I've seen their Tinted Lip Balm popping up in other Ipsy bags over the past few months (maybe even seen them in Birchbox) so I thought it was only a matter of time before it showed up in one of mine. I definitely love lip balms, especially tinted lip balms, but I'll be honest and say I hate the packaging on this. Sure, you could remove the brush that's in the top but it's still a bulky lip balm to throw in your purse or to store in my makeup drawers. Well maybe bulky isn't the right word -- more like odd shaped. The shade I received, Apple Pink, looked like it would be a great nudey pink shade - but on my lips it just looked terrible. It looked very dry and matte, nothing that I look for in a lip balm. I wouldn't even call this tinted - this is a very pigmented lip balm and I'd even call it a lipstick. I also didn't find it to be all that moisturizing. Maybe this shade is bad or maybe I got a bad one, but I wasn't a fan of the formula or shade on me. It's not a product I would go out and buy more shades of, nor would I recommend.
• FULL SIZE: 0.14 oz @ $19.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $19.00

City Color - Shadow & Highlight Mousse
Shade: White Gold

• MY THOUGHTS: I wanted to love this, because City Color Cosmetics are affordable and this shade - which looks more gold than white - is pretty. However, the formula wasn't great. Although it does feels creamy, once you try to use it it doesn't blend out well and applies a bit uneven/patchy. It almost becomes a bit stiff. Once it sets, however, it is hard to remove so that is a plus. It's something you could definitely work with but I don't know how much it would be worth the hassle. I also feel like this is going to dry out really quickly, so I'm going to keep the inner lid/stopper to help prolong its life.
• FULL SIZE: 0.092 oz/2.6 g @ $2.99
• SIZE I RECEIVED: Full Size
• VALUE: $2.99

Urban Decay - 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil
Shade: Black Velvet

 

• MY THOUGHTS: I love Urban Decay's original 24/7 Glide-On Pencils, but I have yet to try one of their "velvet" versions - which I believe only come in this one Black Velvet shade (at least at this time). Even though this is not a full sized pencil, it practically is and I'll get a lot of use from it. It certainly isn't the most intense black - instead it's more of a smoky, sultry black shade. I like it a lot!
• FULL SIZE: 0.04 oz @ $20.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.03 oz/0.8 g
• VALUE: $15.04

Dr. Brandt - Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant

• MY THOUGHTS: I actually already received this same sample (same size) in a different subscription service in the past. I can't remember if I ever got around to using it, but I know I will use this. I love exfoliators, and Dr. Brandt is a good brand for my skin.
• FULL SIZE: 2 oz @ $78.00
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 0.25 oz/7.5 g
• VALUE: $9.75

Big Sexy Hair - Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse

• MY THOUGHTS: I already own this product (same size too) and I enjoy it. I don't use it often because it can sometimes make my hair feel sticky, yet the Big Sexy Hair line is one of the only lines that actually works to volumize my hair. This will get used, as soon as I'm out of my other one.
• FULL SIZE: 1.6 oz @ $6.00 --- this isn't a "full size" but you can buy this size at Ulta
• SIZE I RECEIVED: 1.6 oz/50 ml
• VALUE: $6.00

The actual bag everything comes in...
my thoughts:

• This month's bag was a purple/navy blue with a gray design on it, saying "Beauty Rocks!" and Ipsy. A take on a record player... the bag is even more square, as if the bag is the record player. I think it's a just an okay bag; I like it better than last month's bag but it's certainly not my favorite bag to date. 

My Thoughts On Entire Bag...

• FULL SIZE/DELUXE SIZE: This bag contained 2 full sized items and three deluxe sized items.
• VALUE: The value was approximately $52.78
• USAGE: The item I'll use the most is probably the Urban Decay eyeliner. I can always use a black eyeliner and I like that it's a bit more sultry look on the eyes; it's also a great size sample (as it is almost full size). I'll also use the Big Sexy Hair Root Pump as soon as I'm finished with my other can that I currently have. The Dr. Bradnt Microdermabrasion will be used for sure, as I always can use an exfoliator. I highly doubt I'll use the Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm; the packaging isn't my favorite but I could get over that if I had liked the formula or the color but I unfortantely did not. The City Color White Gold mousse isn't something I will likely use, as I have other products (similar in color too) that are easier to use. But I do think it's pretty and I wish it had worked out a bit better for me.
• FINAL THOUGHTS: I don't think I will ever be able to complain about an Ipsy bag because they always give you a really great value for just $10 a month, and you almost always get at least one full sized product - usually more (there were 2, almost 3, full sized products in this months bag for me). Although this hasn't been my favorite Ipsy bag, I still got three products I will absolutely get great use out of!

Let me know what you think...

What are your thoughts on this month's Ipsy bag? Did you receive an Ipsy bag this month? If so, what did you get in your bag? Discuss in the comments below.

Wantable.co Beauty Box - April 2013 (my first box of my subscription)

Hello, Beautiful!

I just recently shared with you the Wantable.co beauty box I was sent for consideration. Before I had even posted about the box I had already signed myself up to receive it monthly. I signed up in time to receive an April box. This box was more customized to the answers I gave in the quiz, but I still re-did the quiz to make it even more customized to what I want. The box I received is worth over $100 (although that value includes the bonus item). I can't wait to receive my May 2013 Wantable.co Beauty Box!

If you want to sign up to receive a Wantable.co Beauty Box or Jewelry Box (monthly or one-time purchase) just click here or follow the link below (it's my referral link).

Sign-up link: https://www.wantable.com/invite/wpHSNqQgXOs

It's $36 a month with free shipping, or you can purchase a one-time only box for $40 in case you're not sure you want to fully commit. They have a happiness guarantee - so if for any reason you're not happy you can send it back for a full refund; they even include a pre-paid return label! Plus skip a shipment or cancel anytime. It really is hassle-free and worry-free, so why not try it out for a month or two (I always give subscription services three months before I decide to stay or go). And they have a nice customization survey where you'll Love, Like, Or Dislike products. What's best about that is you'll never receive something you say you Dislike and you're more likely to receive products you say you Love!

Check out what I got in my first subscription box below!

Wantable.co Beauty Box - April 2013

Included info stuff...

 

 

Shipment Quick Stats:

• Value of this month's Wantable.co shipment: $104.19 (value is approximate)
• Total # of Items Received: 8 (9 if you count there are two packs of wipes)
• # of eye makeup: 2
• # of lip makeup: 1
• # of face makeup: 0
• # of cheek/bronzer/highlighter makeup: 2
• # of nail items: 1
• # of makeup tools: 2 (3 if you count the two pack of wipes)

Now I'll break it down, product-by-product...

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Eyeshadow in Divine

• MY THOUGHTS: I like the brand Be A Bombshell, and I like the formula of this eyeshadow, but the color isn't my style. I'm probably going to keep this for a little and see if it comes up in any makeup looks I may do but it will likely go into the giveaway/blog sale pile in the future based on color and only based on color.
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $14.00

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics Lipgloss in Taupeless

• MY THOUGHTS: This is a nude taupe color with shimmer. The gloss went on really nice and was a pretty color. 
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $14.00

MiA BelleZZa Blush in Natural

• MY THOUGHTS: I'm pretty sure this was the bonus item in the box, as it wasn't listed on the invoice and April was supposed to include a bonus item. This is a nice bonus item, as it's worth almost $20! Although I'm personally not a fan of it. The color is pretty, but the texture was a bit chalky and didn't apply/swatch all that evenly. I wasn't a big fan of the MiA BelleZZa product I received in my other Wantable.co box, so maybe it's not a brand for me personally. I'm still open to trying more of their products though.
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $18.50

 

Lavera Soft Eyeliner in No. 2

• MY THOUGHTS: This is probably where I went wrong in my quiz because under eyeliner it had a neutral option and a color option - but no black. I assumed black would be included in neutral. I don't wear brown eyeliner, so this isn't something I will use on my eyes. However, it could work as an eyebrow pencil. I will say that it was not creamy or soft at all; in fact I thought it was rather rough. The pigmentation wasn't even that great either on a single swipe. An eyeliner I would NOT purchase. Definitely the biggest disappointment of this box.
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $15.20

Cailyn Cosmetics Luxury Double Sided Brush

• MY THOUGHTS: This brush seems like a mini - but it is full size - so I was surprised to read it has an $18.00 value. The brush is super soft and feels like a nice quality, and I do like the Cailyn Cosmetics brand, but there is no way I'd pay $18 for this brush if I had seen it in person just based on the size. In seriously looks like one of the brushes that would be included when you buy a palette or something. Certainly not comparable to other brushes in that price range that are larger in size. However, I will make the most of it and use it.
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $18.00

Color Club Nail Polish in He Loves Me

• MY THOUGHTS: I had gotten this polish, same shade, in the Wantable.co Beauty Box I was sent, so having an extra will be useful for giveaways! 
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $8.00

 

Swagger Cosmetics - Champagne in the Bubble Bath Highlighter

• MY THOUGHTS: I had also gotten this product in the Wantable.co Beauty Box I was sent. In that post I wasn't sure what brand this was or what the product was, but I had made a guess and I had guess correctly! This shipment included a description of all the products, so I knew exactly what brand and product this was. I don't plan to open the one I got in this shipment just yet, as I may use it in a giveaway or a back-up (depending on how much I like the one I already have).
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $14.50

LA Fresh Makeup Remover Wipes

• MY THOUGHTS: I also received these in the Wantable.co Beauty Box I was sent. I haven't used them yet, but I fully intend to. I will keep these in my travel makeup bag for sure! I believe these retail for about $1.99 for 3 and I received two, so the value is roughly $1.33 for these two. I haven't tried them yet, but I will put them in my travel bag or purse bag of back-ups.
• FULL SIZE VALUE: $1.99 for three.

Let me know what you think...

Did you receive a Wantable.co shipment this month? If so, what are your thoughts on your box? If you don't receive a Wantable.co beauty box yet, click here to sign up! Discuss in the comments below.