Category: beauty

July 2022 IPSY Glam Box Plus Unboxing

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ

            This is my last IPSY Glam Bag Plus post, it’s been over four years since I started getting IPSY and I jumped on the GB+ when it came out, I liked it for a long time. Now I just am not finding the joy in it. One day I might go back to it, but it just doesn’t feel like it aligns with my interests anymore. I have pretty much unsubscribed from all of my lifestyle stuff. I switched to a book box because that’s more in line for what I want now. I have been moving toward a larger book model for a long time because in truth that is my lifestyle. I am much more bookish than I am fashionable. 

            I wrestled with this decision for a while, I did and I don’t regret it. I have watched this brand grow and change for four years and while I enjoyed it, price increases and the feeling that my choices were becoming more and more less what I wanted or needed I made the decision. 

            So, one final time. I have had this document up for days, I should probably just get it done.

The Bag:

            It’s a cute little beachy wave pattern, in yellow and while with the drawstrings that look like those adjustable bracelets that we used to wear in the 90’s and 2000’s. I have seen then since then, but that’s my first thought were those bracelets. 

The Products: 

Murad Acne Control Oil and Pore Control Mattifier Broad Spectrum SPF45:

            I like Murad, that is no secret, no secret at all and I NEED to wear more SPF because I don’t wear enough. Though I also don’t go out in the sun much because at the moment it is 10:50 AM on a Monday and its 90 feels like 95, it might be up in the 100’s this afternoon. So, I should be wearing more sun protection when I am outside. 

Araceli Beauty Tequila Highlighter in Blanco:

            It’s a nice golden shade with a little bit of a bronze undertone, it diffuses nicely because like usual as I am writing this, I am swatching as I go, I am a mess and that is totally fine. I was never meant for the beauty community. I do like the shade though and it went on easily with not a lot of fall out and that’s always great when it comes to a highlighter. I do really like the brand Araceli as well; I have never had a product from them that I didn’t enjoy.

Sonäge Skincare Baby Frioz Mini Icy Globes in Lilac:

            I saw things like this on a Buzzfeed video years ago and I chose this one because I was like “why not?” They look like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to giving them a try. I just have to really figure out how to use them. I know that I will because I have been getting more and more into facial care like this because facials as a whole a very expensive. 

Volition Beauty Screen Time Hydra Mist:

            There were no other choices that I wanted in this category, I think it’s supposed to protect you from blue light or something, or it just hydrates you, I really don’t know. It came in a plastic bag and I’m glad it did because it leaked in transit so I had oil everywhere when I finally opened it up. I had to wash the bottle because it was so oily. It feels nice though, I am usually a person who if I need a hydrating mist, I use rose water, but we are giving this a try. 

Kimchi Chic Beauty Thailor Bronzer in Went to Malibu: 

            Okay, it diffuses out nicely but it’s too dark for me. I swatched it and now my hand just looks like I got into cocoa powder. I like the packaging and it went on alright, but it’s just too dark for me. That was a huge problem I had with IPSY; they choose these colors that they think will work but are usually too dark for me because I am so fair. They have to make sure they are doing the best for everyone which is great, but if I can’t use it, it feels like a waste. I might be able to make it work, but I would have to buff and blend it out almost completely. 

            So here we are, the end of an era, the end of a chapter in my blog journey and that is totally okay. Tastes change and I am not going to stagnate in my journey through life. Life is the hardest thing you will ever do so I am moving on from this. It doesn’t bring me the same amount of joy that it used to so I am moving on from it. 

            If you still want to see what else I have gotten this year though, you totally can, January, February, March, April, May, and June.

            I will be back later in the week with another post, so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy!

            -MJ 

What was in My July 2022 IPSY Glam Bag

.Reading time 10 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Well, it is the end of an era for a lot of my subscription boxes, my current ones anyway. I have moved away from the need and necessity to have a bunch of beauty subscriptions in my life and with the rising cost and lack of real interest in in anymore. I have decided to cancel my IPSY Glam Bag and Glam Bag Plus subscriptions. I will miss getting the bags every month and maybe in the future I will go back, but for right now these bags no longer align with my interests.

            I have been thinking about this for a few months now and with the price increase, that kind of threw it over the edge for me of, I think I need to be done with it for a while. I feel like some days when I write these posts, I do write them more for me than anyone else and that’s okay. 

The Bag: 

            It’s a cute blue wave pattern with a starfish zipper pull, that is one really cool thing that they have been doing more recently is a really cool zipper pull. I will for sure give them that one as I move though this post. I like the texture of the bag but overall; it’s not my favorite. While I do like a simple bag, it’s just not one of my all-time favorites. 

The Products: 

            I miss the cards telling you what you go so much. Like I have to sit with the emails open when I write these posts because of it. 

Marc Anthony Grow Long Restoring Anti-Breakage Mask:

            I like the leave in conditioner that comes from this line, it’s nice. A little drying but nice. I don’t use a log of masks but if this is a leave in, I might have to give it a try. It’s not, I will still give it a try, but hair masks are just not something that I do. I will still try it out and I am hoping that maybe I will like it as much as I like the leave in conditioner.

Beauty Creations Dare to Be Bright Eyeshadow Palette in Bossy:

            It’s very orange. Not for me. I will be completely honest about that, I don’t wear a lot of… actually I don’t wear orange, maybe on spirit days at school but other than that I am not an orange person. Also (through no fault of IPSY probably) the palette smelled terrible the moment I opened it. Like if you know what fish food smells like, you know. The matte shades are a little streaky and now my fingers smell not great so that’s not a good sign. 

Barefoot Venus Ruby Red Macadamia Oil Body Cream:

            I have a lemon Barefoot Venus lotion on the table next to my couch and I love it, I think that I chose this one, I don’t actually remember at the moment. It smells I think like grapefruit and that is something that I will never be mad about. It is a little thinner than my other one which is totally fine and their packaging is always so interesting, pin-ups and all that as I am singing Lady Marmalade in my head. It feels nice though and for the most part, that is all that matters to me in a hand or body cream, does it feel good and does it smell good without making me break out. 

Prestige Waterproof Automatic Eyeliner in Smoky Green:

            I don’t wear eyeliner. I haven’t worn eyeliner since these twist up pencils became cool in like 2004. This one is glittery and a dark green. I am not going got pretend that the packaging plastic wrap didn’t fight me for a solid three minutes until I finally got it off. Like if I was supposed to come up with some sort of look for this it would be Florida Gators with the orange eyeshadow palette and the green eyeliner. I feel like I am ragging on his bag because it’s my last one, but I am glad that it is because green eyeliner. Like if you like green eyeliner more power to you, you do you, but it is not for me.

Alphah Liquid Gold Exfoliating Tonic: 

            I don’t know what it is actually, and the packaging was hard to get open. I am being completely honest with this one. It’s an expholant with glycolic acid, I am super careful with acids on my body because I have sensitive skin. I will give it a try when I actually get a chance to read up on it, but until then it’s going to stay sealed. I will figure it out, because helping with natural expholiation is fine until you look like a tomato and everything burns. 

            I wish I had nicer things to say about this bag but it really was a swing and a miss for me and just seeing the items that I have been getting, no matter the shortages and everything else just haven’t been for me anymore. Like they take the beauty quiz and throw it out the window. I don’t remember what I picked this month but it was for sure a dud of a bag for me. 

            I will be sad to see it go; I have been getting it for four years but I am a different person now than I was when I started getting this bag. A much different person and I would rather spend money on books than products I am just going to stick in a box and not use. I have found that about myself. I have a box full of this stuff and I keep saying, ‘I’m going to use it’ and then I never do. So, at least for now, it’s time for me to move on from it. 

            If you do want to check out what else I have gotten this year, you totally can, January, February, March, April, May, and June.

            I am closing this chapter for my blog which is weird because IPSY was one of the first things that I really started posting, but we all grow up and our tastes change. So until my next post, which will be later in the week I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy.

            -MJ

Summer 2022 fabfitfun Unboxing

.Reading time 10 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Okay, so here’s the deal…it’s fine. I didn’t get an email about personalization this time so the thing I really wanted was already sold out. Which is annoying, but maybe it’s just my mental state at the moment that is impeding my joy of these boxes. I don’t know. 

            This one just didn’t provide the joy that I am used to with these boxes. I don’t know, maybe my tastes are changing as I get older, who knows. I also understand that trying to get things right now is super difficult because you know the world is going to heck in a hand basket. 

            So, what did I get this time around though? I am going to go through all of it as to what I got, the options are no longer in the magazine so I can’t tell you the things that I didn’t pick unless I go on the app. In truth I didn’t even really look into the magazine. These are also not going to be in any particular order because I’m just running through it, note my enthusiasm! Seriously, I am only marginally excited for this one, and that means that I am leaning toward apathy, sorry. 

Samara Should Bag in Peony:

            It’s cute, it’s vegan leather and it’s a nice color. I like the closure on it so that’s exciting. I know that I chose this one, that I remember. It’s a basic bag and the thing that hit me when I opened it was the smell, it didn’t smell great but it’s vegan leather and it was in a hot box for a while so I cannot fault them for that. I can’t say that in real life I would pay the price tag on this one after seeing it in person, I wouldn’t and that is 100% a personal choice. 

Z Gallerie Multi-Use Storage Duo:

            The look like candle holders, I can for sure make stickers for them on my Circuit now and use them in my bathroom or somewhere else. They are basic and cute so I will find a use for them somewhere in my place. I think I chose these two because it was the only option that looked like something that I would want or use. I know I shouldn’t be saying it like that because there is a lot of time and thought that goes into these items and no shade. No shade at all, fff is just getting predictable and a little…kitschy. 

New Balance Ab Wheel:

            This is the first like workout item that I have seen in a while and I think I chose this one as well, I was actually really excited to get this one and I will be giving it a try when I get home from dogsitting. I love trying out new workout gear and this one looked like something that I wouldn’t accidently injure myself using. That is a fear y’all, a fear that is very real. 

Lasting Smiles Soy Candle in Sea Salt and Citrus:

            I have been reading the ACOTAR series and that’s described as one of the scents and I actually a huge fan of this candle and they provide money to charities with their candles so here we are. The packaging and glass is really simple which is great and I can’t wait to be able to burn it, I still live in an apartment so it’s going to be a while before I can. It’s got a 50 hour burn time which is also great because sometimes candles burn down so quickly it’s pathetic. 

TF Publishing Co. Brain Teasers+ Activity Book Bundle:

            They will be fun for road trips. Honestly this feels super juvenile to me, I know that people of all ages use activity books, but this is like the cactus cup and that jewelry holder for me, it’s really an odd choice to put in this box. I don’t think I chose this one, I honestly can’t remember at this point what I chose for this box. It’s fun, I have done a few of the puzzles, it’s just an odd choice for this type of box for me. 

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisturizing CC Cream: 

            It’s for your hair? I think? I am honestly not sure and the container is at home so I can’t go look at it right now. It says 10 in 1 for your hair on the app so that’s that I’m going with, when I see CC I think about makeup not hair so here we are. I mean I will for sure try it, I was just confused about it until about five minutes ago when I looked it up on the app. Well, that’s fun, here we are and me being an idiot, it should shock no one. 

Kayo Body Scrubber: 

            This was a random mystery item, I have seen fidgets like this, it’s interesting. I do not like how the back feels but I will give it a try in the shower, no matter how confused I am about it. I like how it feels with the little bristles though, that’s really nice. I will give it a try. I promise, this one just feels very random to put in the box.

            I feel some feelings about this box, most of them are neutral, some are favorable, and some are negative. I don’t want to share them right now though because I feel like I have been complaining about fff for almost a year and I still continue to get it. I might stop, I honestly at this moment have no idea. If the fall box spoilers blow me out of the water I’ll keep it, if not I think I am going to say goodbye to this box for a little while, maybe circle back to it in a year or so. I don’t know. I really don’t at the moment and I know that with supply chain issues, with inflation, and with everything else that’s going on this is expected. I just don’t feel like I am getting the bang for my buck that I used to get with this box.

            So, if you want to see what was in my spring box, you totally can because that post has been up since March. I will see everyone later in the week with another post, so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy!

            -MJ

June 2022 IPSY Glam Bag Plus Unboxing

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Well, here we are and I am still just running on the line of, I am averaging 10,000 words a day and I finished two novel drafts so far this month, it’s the 19th as I am writing this. I am over 100,000 this month and about a 1,000 of those have been blog posts because I have just been in that kind of mood and I need to let my muse out or she’s going to beat me to death with the plot bat. Y’all don’t really care about that and that’s fine because that’s where I am at the moment. 

            Like I said in my Glam Bag unboxing this month, they are increasing the prices, I don’t know if I am going to keep them, it’s a balancing act. I might get rid of IPSY and FabFitFun for a while and switch to books. I don’t know yet, I just don’t and here we are. 

            I got this in the mail well over a week ago and it’s been sitting on the floor in my office because I have been working on other projects. Yea, that’s been my life, sorry, actually no, not sorry. 

The Bag:

            Not my favorite, the colors clash for me and not a huge fan of it. I love the idea of the popsicles, that’s fun. It’s just the color scheme for me that makes me cringe a little. Normally I have nothing but nice things to say, but this one aesthetically just missed the mark for me. If you like it, that’s totally cool, I just don’t and that’s okay. 

The Products: 

            I don’t remember what I picked until I actually look at the email, that’s how memorable this bag is for me. It’s fine, if I get rid of either of my Glam Bag subscriptions, it’s gonna be this one. 

Dr. Brandt Skincare Triple Antioxidant Face Cream:

            I love Dr. Brandt so this is a win in my book, but I feel like IPSY has really leaned into the skincare side and not the makeup side recently, or maybe my tastes have changed. I don’t know. I love a good face cream and Dr. Brandt usually doesn’t break me out and that’s good. Antioxidants are amazing so here we are hoping that it does all the things that it says it will.

Dr. Zenovia Hyaluronic Acid+Peptid Serum:

            Saw the name of the brand and thought it said Genovia, you know the country from The Princess Diaries and I was on board. I have been getting more and more into serums since the pandemic started, I need to use mine more. I go in spurts where I do the 12-step skin care routine and then some days I am just lucky to get my face washed and moisturized. It apparently stimulates collagen production and now that I am 30, that’s apparently a thing that I need to worry about. I miss when I could just wash my face and then everything was fine. Oh youth. 

Natasha Denona Ayana Eyeshadow Palette:

            It was Natasha Denona, it’s one of those brands that you see and go, that’s expensive and that means it’s nice. I haven’t swatched the palette and I am not home at the moment to do it, but from everything I have heard about the brand; it’s great. I love the shades though, I thought the last shade in the palette was a weird sagey green, it’s silver. I like that a lot more. This is one of those palettes that contains a whole eye look and that’s so helpful when you don’t want to pack a bunch of different eyeshadow palettes. 

Vike Beauty Makeup Melt:

            I have used micellar water, I have used cleanser, I have used solid makeup removing cream, I have used my Makeup Eraser (and love it), so when there was a product for removing makeup that I haven’t tried I was like “give it to me!” I’m going to try a makeup removing spray because why not? I will check back in with the results on that one. 

Lovita Never Lost Necklace:

            This is the first time I have been (I think) offered something that wasn’t makeup or skin care and I was all for this one too, I love necklaces and it’s a cute little compass. It’s interesting that I got this as a pickable option. So, I rolled with it, I am all for a new cool thing and it was nice to have an option that wasn’t just beauty related. I love a good lifestyle moment. 

            My box this month was worth quite a bit so you do get your bang for your buck with the GB+, I will say that, but I am not using the products fast enough to really justify it as much as I used to. I don’t know yet, I am going to see what it looks like when they increase the prices and then I will make my decisions. 

            If you want to see what else I have gotten this year, you totally can! January, February, March, April, and May!

            Alright, I will be back later in the week with another post, so until then, I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy!

            -MJ 

What Was in My June 2022 IPSY Glam Bag?

.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Well, here we are, halfway through the year of these and that’s hard to believe to be completely honest. IPSY is increasing prices so I will stick it out for a little while and then I am genuinely wondering if I will keep it up. I understand that prices are increasing across the board and that’s part of the reason why I may have to cut back on unnecessary purchases. I would rather spend money on a book or something at this point so I don’t know how much longer I will be posting these specific posts and that might mean that I cut back on posting since right now it’s super erratic anyway. 

            Seriously, my posting schedule has been super hit and miss recently, sorry. I have been writing other things, like I wrote 78,000 something words last week and none of them were blog posts. I need to get back into it, but my brain has been being held hostage by my muse who I swear is just snorting whatever she can find because the book writing bug has bitten me real hardcore this year. 

            Alright, into the post though because otherwise I’m going to get bored and go work on my current fantasy novel, like I didn’t just finish one at the end of May. I finished two books in a week, one took four months and the other only took two so that’s where I am. 

The Bag:

            I love this bag! I love the meshing and the fact that it’s purple, purple is my favorite color and therefore I love this bag. I love the zipper pull which is a lemon slice. There is nothing about this bag that I don’t absolutely love all around. This would be a great bag to take the beach because it’s got holes in it so the sand would come right out. 

The Products: 

Bad Habit Wake Things Up Matcha & Mint Morning Cleanser:

            I will be humming the Ed Sheeran song the whole time I am writing this post now. I love a good cleanser and I just ran out of all the ones that I was using so this isn’t a bad thing, I almost said bad habit because that’s where my brain is at the moment. I love the packaging, it made me laugh quite a bit. I like matcha but I don’t know if I have ever had it in a skin care product so we are going to give it a try and see what we think. (Yes, I am using the royal we by accident, I’m sorry.) 

Pinklipps Cosmetics 5-Star Concealer in Independent like Aries: 

            Aries, the Greek God of War, I would say that’s pretty independent or maybe they mean the zodiac sign. Who knows? I have never heard of this brand before but I like new brands. The color match is actually really good for my skin tone which is rare for me so that’s a plus in my book automatically. It doesn’t feel super drying on the skin and it doesn’t seem to be powdering off yet, that happens so frequently and I am always frustrated when I accidently touch my face and all of a sudden half my makeup is on my hand, even with setting spray. So, this one at the moment is for sure a win in my book.

Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara:

            I have used this in the past and loved it, but it’s Tarte and Tarte is one of those brands that I have never had a problem with any of their products. I am excited to get another little tube of this because I love Tarte mascara. The one problem I have with this mini is the fact that the applicator is as almost as long as the tube and that’s a problem sometimes. Otherwise, super excited to give this one another round in my makeup bag.

Tatcha Indigo Overnight Cream:

            I picked this and we have talked about how I will always pick Tatcha if is it offered to me. I love Tatcha. I for sure need something to repair my skin because stress is a real thing y’all and that means that I have been dealing with it and my skin is suffering, it’s been suffering quite a bit so I am so excited to give this one a try. One day I will buy full sized Tatcha, that day is not today but I am always so excited to get the chance to get minis!

KVossNYC Lip Potion: 

            It’s an overnight lip mask, I have another one from another brand and I didn’t like it, I know I can’t make that blanket statement that I don’t like lip masks, but I kind of don’t. They just aren’t for me. I have a problem with licking my lips at random or pursing them and that defeats the purpose. Also, I sleep like a monster, I will give it a try, but I am not going to walk in with super high hopes that it’s amazing. I hope that it proves me wrong. 

            Most of the stuff in my bag this month was super cool and I am looking forward to using it in the coming weeks because most of it is stuff that I will use as quickly as I can and I am looking forward to using it. 

            I think that’s about it for this post though so I will see everyone in a few days with another one. 

            If you want to know what else I’ve gotten this year, you can totally go and check those posts out: January, February, March, April, and May.

            Alright everyone, until next time I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy.

            -MJ

What Was in My May 2022 IPSY Glam Bag?

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            I have been meaning to write this post, like my GB+ for weeks now, I have just been busy and I was actually waiting for a replacement to show up because one of my products got lost in the mail. So those came in the other day and I just haven’t had the motivation to get this post written. True story, everyone, I love writing, I genuinely do, (I am on book 19, 20, 21, and 22 at the moment) but writing blog posts lately has been hard. Sorry, it just has and I want to be more on it, but sometimes you just can’t be. 

            So, I’m going to dive right in because I want to get this written and just be done with it, which is not the attitude you want to have, full transparency. I think I am feeling just a little burnt out and that is really affecting me at the moment. 

The Bag: 

            I told y’all that I loved the GB+ bag this month and the GB bag is no different. I love the shape of it and the pattern with the rose gold zipper and zipper pull. That is for sure right up my street. I like that the back is a solid color, I do wish that it matched the front more, but I cannot complain, I didn’t design it. 

The Products: 

The Crème Shop mask duo in Peaches and Cream and Blueberry and Banana:

            I feel like I am getting a smoothie. This was my accommodation item because my original sheet masks were lost in the mail. Those masks were different too and I don’t actually remember what they were. I found my sheet, they were supposed to be Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid, those are somewhere in the country. 

Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick in Bare it All:

            It’s a mauvey brown shade that the card says will channel my inner 90’s super model. I really don’t think it’s my shade per say, but I will try it out. I don’t really have much to say about this one, though it is a full-sized product which is cool. I like the simple packaging, it’s just the shade that is not really for me. 

Marc Anthony Super-Fast Strength Leave-in Conditioner:


            I chose this one because I have been using the first one I got and I ran out. I really like this leave in conditioner and I need to get a full sized because it’s kind of great. I haven’t been using a rinse out conditioner in weeks and I like the leave-in a little bit better. This one smells amazing, it does dry my hair out a little, but other than that I really like it. 

HEMPZ Pomegranate Herbal Body Butter: 

            I like this brand; I have for years and I just ran out of my Pineapple Mango hand crème so having a replacement will be really great. It has a very light smell and it’s pink! Who doesn’t love a pink lotion to match the pink packaging? My hands are all nice and soft now which is nice. I really don’t have much to say about it though because it’s a body cream, many of them are really similar for me. I do like it though.

Treslúce Beauty Ready to Bounce Cream Blush in Date Night: 

            I am going to say this and this is not against the brand, I like the formula and the color is nice, it’s just not for me. So, whoever picked out my bag products at IPSY clearly doesn’t know that I am ghost pale and this shade is too dramatic for me. I am very fair skinned and I have rosacea so I am always red. I don’t wear blush and if I do it is very light, this is not light. Seriously though, whoever picked out my colors this month, didn’t do a great job. I like the blush formula I like how it applied when I swatched it, but it’s not a good shade for me, it’s too bright and I could diffuse it out a lot which makes it better, but I don’t want to have to do that. 

            My bag this month was fine, I cannot really complain more than I already have. It was a lot more misses than hits this month for me. Which is okay, I understand that can and does happen and I might have to redo my beauty quiz again. Some of the products are great and I am excited to use but any of the makeup that is shaded won’t work well for me. I can use them. 

            I think that is going to be it for me on this post, I need to step away from it before I start really complaining. 

            If you want to check out what else I have gotten this year, you totally can: January, February, March, and April. 

            I will be back later in the week with another post so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy! 

            -MJ

May 2022 IPSY Glam Bag Plus Unboxing

.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

This was supposed to come out a good week ago, so roll with me, it’s been a long few weeks.

            School is ending so I have been all sorts of busy the last few weeks and I just haven’t been in the mood to write blog posts. I haven’t really been in the mood to do much beyond drink coffee and survive. So, I have had this sitting on the floor of my office for over a week now. Whoops, my bad. 

            I got some really cool stuff this month though so I need to get this post out and done because I am still waiting on a replacement for a thing from my regular Glam Bag. My bubble mailer came open so something fell out and I had to reach out to customer service about it. They are really good, ISPY’s customer care is great.

            Let’s dive right in though because I have a billion things to do this weekend and I don’t want to do any of them. 

The Bag:

            I love this bag, I love the flower motif and the color scheme, I am actually getting to the point where I like the drawstring bags better, don’t get me wrong I still love the regular Glam Bags, but I am getting more use out of the draw string bags, which is shocking for me because I didn’t really like them at the beginning. 

The Products: 

Rodial Soft Focus Glow Drops: 

            It’s a primer, it smells good and a little goes a long way. It is an illuminating primer so it does give a very subtle glow to the skin and it really does cover pores, I used it on the back of my hand because that’s where I swatch everything and it for sure made my pores less noticeable, but it’s still a primer. I don’t really use primers so this one is something that I probably won’t use much. I want to know what helps them make the choices on what to send, because I think on my beauty quiz I for sure have that I don’t really use primers and I don’t think I rate them well either. 

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cleanser:

            I love Kate Somerville; I love the facial lotion from this same line and I think I have one in my fridge at the moment. I am actually running out of facial cleanser so this was a really exciting one to see that they picked for me. I have never had anything from her brand that breaks me out or causes a bunch of irritation so I am really looking forward to trying this one out here shortly. 

PMD Clean Smart Facial Cleansing Device in Warmth:

            I have been wanting one of these for years. I love my Foreo facial cleanser tool, but this one has a handle on it and I feel like that will be a little easier to use. It’s just so cool and seriously I have wanted one for a while and not wanted to spend the full price on it because it’s expensive. (It retails for about $100, which is a little out of my price range for something like this.) Also, it’s battery powered unlike the Foreo I have, which is really cool also because that means that it’s usable over and over again without worrying about it. 

Aceology Rose Quartz Gua Sha Facial Massager in Pink:

            I would hope it’s pink because rose quartz is pink, but really I love it. I chose this one because I have wanted a Gus Sha for a while because they are apparently really great for drainage. I have a facial roller as well that I need to use more. I’m so glad there is a diagram on the back of the box because I am an idiot when it comes to stuff like this. I love the idea of it, but in practice I am kind of dumb when it comes to all of the facial rollers and things. I am really looking forward to adding it into my beauty routine though. 

Formula Z Cosmetics Transforming Beauty Palette: 

            I like the packaging, it does remind me of Anastasia’s (I think, I am not going to dig it out of my collection at the moment) highlighter palettes. I like the shades, they look like a lot of fun and I am looking forward to actually swatching them, I can’t yet because I haven’t taken the pictures, I will in a few minutes though because I am writing this Sunday morning and it comes out at noon. It’s a pretty basic cheek palette which is never a bad thing, I just hope that the color payoff is good. 

            Well, there you have it, a post that should have come out like two weeks ago, but I have just been in a place where this wasn’t a feasible thing to work on. I am learning that while I want to post twice a week and I should be, sometimes I can’t and I would very much like to avoid burning out because that would not be the best thing for me. I am trying to balance everything and it’s a weirdly precarious balancing act that I am working on. It’s hard when that balancing act changed every week, rather let’s be real 100 times a day. 

            If you want to see what else I have gotten this year, you totally can: January, February, March, and April. 

            I will be back with another post later in the week so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy.

            -MJ

What Was in My April 2022 IPSY Glam Bag?

.Reading time 7 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ, 

            As far as I know this post comes out on my birthday, so happy birthday to me, a whole year older and entering a new decade, well that’s interesting. I mean, at this point it’s just another day. I have work, I have a staff meeting, and then I will be going home to hang out by myself. It’s coming out a few days after my birthday because last week was rough, this was supposed to come out on Wednesday the 20th, it didn’t. Full transparency.

            I feel like this post is going to be pretty short and at the moment, I am totally on board with that because I don’t need to have a huge long-winded post to go along with something that I write every month. 

The Bag: 

            I really like this bag; I love the very pale pink and the daisies and the zipper pull for the bag is a daisy and that’s so cool! I like this bag, though IPSY had had some really cool bags lately and I am totally on board for it. 

The Products: 

CosRX Master Patch intensive:

            I chose this one! I love the videos of people using the hydrocolloid patches that pull all of the crap and nonsense out of your skin and I really want to try them. Seriously I have been seeing them all over the internet and I think that the idea of them, as someone who’s used pore strips for years and that seems a bit excessive, I really want to try them. I don’t know how I feel about the overnight thing, but we are going to give it a try.

Kaleido Cosmetics Obsidian Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: 

            I don’t use eyeliner so this one is not really for me, I might try it, but who knows. I know that there are so many people that love liquid eyeliner, I was an emo kid at one point in my life and I used a lot of eyeliner. I don’t anymore. I don’t even use mascara most days anymore because I don’t feel like it. 

Ouai Melrose Place Body Crème: 

            I love Ouai’s hair products and I honestly didn’t know they had a body care line. Call me ignorant, I only get Ouai products in my IPSY bags or fabfitfun that’s pretty much it. I haven’t smelled it yet, like I should have before I started the post, so now I have to go and get it to sniff it. It smells really good to be honest a nice light rose smell. I actually really like it. 

V Kosmetik Lightweight Powder Blush in Magnolia: 

            It’s a really nice shade, it’s really complimentary to my skin tone and it blends really well. I swatched it on my hand and at this point that’s about as good as it’s gonna get at the moment. I like the shade, it’s a little powdery which is not a bad thing most of the time. Perfect for spring time and that’s always really exciting! 

Wander Beauty Mini Unlashed Volume and Curl Mascara in Tarmac:

            The name is a little weird, I know it’s the branding because it’s a place you go to and get where you are going. I like the curved wand, I am not used to a curved wand, but here we are. I am actually almost out of mini mascara’s so having a new one is never a bad thing in my book. I am looking forward to trying it out, I never know how I feel about the tubes like this but I am going to give it a try and just roll with it because I need to have a more open mind when it comes to products. 

            Well, there you have it, my bag for April was pretty good. I actually enjoyed most of the things in it, I feel like there has been some hit and miss the last couple of months and it’s nice to see that both of my bags for this month were both actually pretty good. 

            If you want to check out what else I have gotten in my Glam Bags this year, you totally can! January, February, and March! 

            I will be back later in the week with another post so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy! 

-MJ

April 2022 IPSY Glam Bag Unboxing

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Well, well, well, here we are almost at the end of April and that’s so hard to believe, I am going to preface this post with some stuff. April is birthday month my birthday is on a certain day this month that makes a lot of people want junk food. So here we are and there are fer things in this bag that have that vibe, those were the choices I was given and here we are. 

            So, my bag got here a few days ago and I have been putting off writing this post and my regular Glam Bag posts because I have been trying to write a bunch of other stuff and my blog posts kind of get shoved for my books, they take priority so here we are. I am writing this alone in my apartment on a Saturday night because I don’t have much of a social life and that is 100% my choice. 

            I liked the bag though so let’s get right on into it. 

The Bag: 

            It’s super cute with daisies on it, who doesn’t love daisies and it feels like it’s made out of a water-resistant material, that’s what it feels like, I don’t know if it is or not. It’s a really cute bag though and I like the texture; it’s very spring all around.

The Products: 

F.A.R.A.H 4pc Complete Face Set:

            Leaning into the flower power theme is this brush set. I have a few sets of F.A.R.A.H brushes and they are all amazing, I like the handles on these ones, not just because of the daisy design but because they are a solid thing to hold onto, I have some brushes where the handle is what makes it hard to use, these are for sure not going to fall into that category. The brushes themselves are soft and well-made and they all came in netting so the bristles weren’t everywhere which was really a great choice on their part. 

Kimchi Chic Beauty Puff Puff Pass Set & Bake Setting Powder in 03 Translucent:

            Now that is a long name. Here is where I started to see a theme with the products this month. I love a good setting spray and the packaging on this one was amazing. The powder puff is nice and the holes in the powder itself is in the shape of a heart and that is super cute. I feel like I should have more to say about this one, but I can’t really pass much judgement until I actually give it a try, it’s super cute though and I am excited for it. 

Kopari Beauty CBD Recovery Balm:

            I picked this I think and that was because it’s a recovery balm. My shoulders hurt all the time and I need something to try and dull that pain away so I am so for trying this one out. I think that CBD has a lot of benefits. I need an anti-inflammatory and that’s about all it is. I just need something to bring the pain down a little bit because I carry all of my stress in my shoulders and my left foot so I am just trying to find something that will help. I for sure will not be able to use this and then go to work, people will think I am smoking something. Like I don’t know if I am placeboing it but it made my neck feel better. 

High High Expectations Cannabis Facial Oil:

            I didn’t know that this was a thing to be honest, I usually stray away from things like this, again, birthday, sense the theme here. I can for sure say that this one does not smell like it is the thing that it is, which is super cool. I am all for using products that help, I don’t know much about a lot of them but here we are. 

Lilly Lashes Level Up Lash Enhancing Serum:

            I love the packaging, it’s super cool to be completely honest and I love cool packaging, it should shock no one. I have pretty good natural lashes but after years and years of mascara they are not as nice as they used to be so I am hoping that maybe this will help a little bit, who knows. I have never used a lash serum so we are going to try it out and see how it is.

            Well, there you have it, sense the theme that I somehow got with this bag. It’s a really good bag over all and I am excited to see the choices for next month because I have no idea what they are going to be. I’ll find out eventually. 

            If you want to see what else I have gotten this year; you totally can, January, February, and March.

            I will be back later in the week with a new post so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy!
 

            -MJ

March 2022 IPSY Glam Bag Plus Unboxing

.Reading time 10 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Well, here we are with another post because I let March absolutely get away from me with no remorse at all. I feel like we are still at the beginning of March, it is for sure not, I am writing this on April First, AKA April Fool’s Day and I am trying not to get pranked by my class. 

            I don’t feel like I have much to say before I actually get into the meat of this post, I don’t really want to say much, I just want to get this written at this point. That’s not the kindest thing to say to a thing that I enjoy doing. I love blogging, it just bogs me down sometimes. Maybe it’s the content, maybe it’s the schedule; I really don’t know but somedays it’s just hard to write anything for this place that I like. 

The Bag:

            I like this one a lot better than the Glam Bag this month. I think it’s the all over patterning, I like all over patterning and this is just another example of IPSY doing a great job at that and the strings say “Power moves only” and this think this is the first time that the strings have had anything printed on them and that is super cool. I like the geometric pattern on this one as well, I know I am repeating that word a lot, but it’s true. Overall super cute bag that I cannot wait to find a reason to use. 

The Products: 

Freck Beauty Rich Bitch Cactus + Vitamin C Moisturizer: 

            Who doesn’t love a product with a funny name? I mean I love catchy names when it comes to products. That is one reason why I love Sunday Riley so much, also their stuff is amazing. I have never heard of this brand, I don’t think anyway, it is entirely possible that I have seen it before while scrolling through the internet and I just don’t remember it. I love a good moisturizer and I am always excited to try and new one. Okay, I have heard of the brand, they made the freckle pen, that’s why it was familiar. It’s got some really good ingredients in it so I am excited to give it a try when I run out of the other moisturizers that I have waiting in my fridge for their time to shine. 

Seoulkleen Probiotics Balancing Cleanser: 

            It’s K beauty from what I can assume with their name, I went to their website and confirmed my suspicions. K Beauty is one of the very few things that I can say with almost 100% certainty that I won’t have a reaction to. I am so excited to try this one out because I just opened up my last cleanser, even though collecting these beauty boxes makes me feel like a hoarder sometimes, so I am excited to be able to give this one a try as well. Also, the buzzwords of vegan and cruelty free will always get me interested. 

Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten Marbleized Blush in Tropic Hues: 

            I chose this one, I am still trying to get into blush, it’s working slowly but surely and then I fall back into my normal routine of foundation and concealer and maybe, if I’m feeling it, a couple of coats of mascara. It’s a really nice shade and I will feel like I am in the mid-2000’s with a marble blush, don’t ask me why, but I will. It’s clean beauty which is also really nice and it’s baked for 24 hours apparently. My dumb self didn’t think they actually baked the blush, I feel kind of dumb now. Can’t wait to have a reason to use this one though because it truly is a beautiful shade. 

Karmela Cosmetics The Defiance Palette: 

            This is what I would wear if I was planning a heist, I think it’s the name to be completely honest. It’s a nice neutral shades palette that’s not as large as some of my other neutral shade palettes. I love a good neutral shade though, I have not swatched these yet so I don’t know how the pigmentation is or the powder factor, I have no idea at the moment. I am going to judge the product by its package for a moment and say that it looks cool and fun. People on the IPSY reviews page have mixed feelings about this one so I can only imagine that it’s a little polarizing when it comes to what people want in an eyeshadow. I have been watching someone on TikTok make eyeshadow palettes into watercolor paint and that is super cool! Not going to do that, but it’s just worth mentioning that the clock app has taken over my life. 

Chella Good Drama Mascara in Black: 

            It’s mascara, I feel like I want to talk more about it, but it’s mascara and to me most mascaras are about the same. I know that some of them promise to make your lashes as big as the moon, but there are some that are $50 and some that are $7 and they do the same thing. Also, you have to throw them away after a few months and so it’s just not worth it, right? It’s water resistant so getting this one off is going to be an adventure, not my first rodeo and I am willing to look like a raccoon for a few minutes, just hope it’s worth the trouble in the end. 

            Well, there you all have it. My IPSY Glam Bag Plus from March, I am a little behind and I am in the middle of what I am calling “catch up post-mageddon” I just need to get things posted so I am not pulling out my own hair trying to move things around throughout the month when I can just have a few days where I post every day because it’s my blog and why not? 

            If you want to see what I got in my January or February bags you totally can, just click on the month and you can go over there and read them.

            I will be back I think tomorrow with another post, so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy! 

            -MJ