Tag: skincare

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

What Was in My March 2022 IPSY Glam Bag?

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            I have been putting off writing this post for weeks now. I didn’t mean to and I have a bunch of posts to post this week, there is going to be a solid week almost of posts so I can catch up for all the ones that I didn’t post in March, whoops my bad. 

            Honestly March got away from me which was a problem, I had so many plans for the month and then I didn’t get like any of them completed, it’s not great, but it happens. 

            So, let’s move on to the meat of this post, I liked my bag for the most part and I for sure liked the bag itself.

            I don’t think this post is going to be super long because my brain is tired and I don’t actually have the products in front of me as I write it, I have stashed them somewhere in my office and I am not going to go hunting for them, I do have work in the morning. 

The Bag: 

            Super cute and there were a few designs, two I think, I got this one, obviously. Power Moves, who doesn’t love that phrase, maybe not on a makeup bag but that’s cool too. I like the color scheme, but IPSY’s bags are usually super cool and well thought out pattern wise. 

The Products: 

Beauty Vaulte Bubbly Beverly Lip Set: 

            It’s a liquid lipstick and a lip liner, I love the shade and I am looking forward to giving it a try. I do not have a lot of lipliners so having another one is never a bad thing. I am so bad at using lipliner though, I am going to try my little heart out though and I am glad that I chose this one because it seems super fun and the shade is nice. 

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Eye Cream with Hyaluronic Acid: 

            I love First Aid Beauty, it’s one of those brands that I see all over the internet and like but never actually buy because it is on the more expensive side. I love a good eye cream as well so I am hoping that this one makes a good show at being what I need for my under eyes. 

Half Caked In Bloom Powder Blush in Soft Serve:

            I have had a few Half Caked products in the past and I liked them, the lipstick I got was not my shade so that went in the trash, this blush looks like a pretty good match for coming into spring and summer so that’s exciting. I don’t wear a lot of blush but I think for this one I can make an exception because it looks like a really nice shade. 

Refreshments Luscious Hand Cream in Coconut Colada: 

            This is IPSY’s brand and it’s already on my desk at work. I like how it feels but the scent is a little strong for me. It’s a nice hand cream though and I cannot complain about it because I am now using it daily. I like it, I just wish that the scent was a little more muted, it smells good but I feel like I am at a tiki bar every time I put it on my hands and that’s just a little weird for me.

Sand & Sky Australian Emu Apple Super Bounce Mask: 

            I thought that it was Emu and Apple but apparently the Emu Apple is a thing, I learned something new today. I like masks as much as anyone thought I have not been using them as much as I should, I really should be using them more because they have so many good things in them. I do prefer a leave on mask though, I don’t like to set timers and then rinse off the masks. It’s just not something that I personally enjoy. 

            Well, there you have it, my March Glam Bag, only a few weeks later. I liked the bag overall I feel like sometimes they are a bit hit and miss and I know that I shouldn’t feel that way because I am getting exposed to brands that I might not have seen otherwise, but it can be a little annoying to get a product that you can’t or won’t ever use even after saying that on the beauty quiz. 

            If you want to check out what else I’ve gotten this year, you totally can: January and February!

            I will be back really soon with another post, so until then I hope that everyone stays safe, happy, and healthy. 

            -MJ

What was in my February 2022 IPSY Glam Bag?

.Reading time 7 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ,

            Here we are nearing the end of February and I cannot believe that, it’s been a crazy long month even though it is the shortest month of the year. 

            I don’t really have much to say before this post because I do one every month, literally every month and I have already posted my Glam Bag Plus which if you want to read just click on the words. 

            Whirlwind month has been a whirlwind so let’s just jump right on in. 

The Bag:

            It is the opposite colorway of the GB+ with a red background and blush pink hearts and the heart zipper pull. All of that is super fun and adorable, who doesn’t love holiday branding? 

The Products:

            Alright before I get into this, this month kind of missed the mark for me in products so just bear with me as I run through them. This is not going to be as optimistic a post as my usual IPSY posts. I mean, they can’t all be winners. 

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask:

            This is one product that I am super interested in, I love a good sleeping mask. I really just love a good moisturizer, especially this time of year when everything is super dry and the wind is a thing that makes your skin feel like sandpaper. I like the fact that it’s an overnight mask 

MAC Prep+Prime Fix +:

            I have heard really good things about MAC’s Fix+ so this one is another thing out of my bag that I am interested in. I like a good setting spray and maybe this will convince me that I need to go buy actual setting spray, I doubt it because I usually just get setting spray in my Glam Bags. I wear makeup daily so a good setting spray is always something that I need in my makeup arsenal. 

Peek Beauty Eye Will Say eyeshadow in Wednesday:

            The color is nice, the packaging is a little weird, it’s a fun shade though so I can’t fault the packaging too much. I have a lot of single eyeshadows now and I don’t think I have any that are this color. So that’s a plus in my book, do I wear a lot of eyeshadow? Not as much as I used to, the pandemic changed my beauty routine and how much money I spend on makeup, I enjoy it still but it’s not a fixture in my life the same way it was before 2020. 

Three Ships Dew Drops Mushroom Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Serum:

            I have so much serum, like so much serum. I like a travel size though and I’ll find a use for this one. I promise. I don’t really like I have much to say about it though, I want to say more but it’s a serum and most serums are nice, but I can’t tell the difference between them in my beauty routine. Sorry, I just don’t. 

Treslúce Beauty Intenso Liner in Royal:

            It’s blue eyeliner, the 90’s called, they want their liner back. I will never use this, flat out never, a blue eyeliner is just not up my street; not even a little bit actually. That is nothing against the brand, it’s just not a product that I will use. Will I keep it for the next few years because I feel bad about throwing it away? Yes, I will but it will never be something that I reach for unless I am doing a Halloween look. I don’t reach for eyeliner though so that’s always fun. 

            So, there were some hits and misses in this bag and that’s expected, not every bag can be perfect. I just wish that on their beauty quiz or something you could say I don’t want this kind of product. There was a survey a few years ago where that was a question asked and then nothing came of it. I would love to say no to a few things because I don’t use them and I feel like if I am never going to even give them a try it is a waste for me. It could go to someone else who would actually use it and make it look amazing. 

            If you want to see what I got in January, you can, just click on the month. 

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

            -MJ 

February 2022 IPSY Glam Bag Plus Unboxing

.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hey hey, it’s MJ, 

            Well, here we are like most of the way through February and I am not sure how that actually happened. I got this package in my mailbox like a week and a half ago and then my life got busy. When this goes out, I am not even home, I post everything scheduled but I’ll actually be out with people. What?! MJ has a social life? No, well not really, maybe eventually I will. 

            I am just going to roll into this post though because I don’t know what my Sunday is actually going to look like because I am writing this on Wednesday and I still have two days of work and Saturday that separate me from that. 

            I hope everyone’s having a good week and had a pleasant Valentine’s Day, if you celebrate. 

The Bag: 

            It’s hearts and an exact opposite color way of the Glam Bag which will be the next post that comes out, I think. I don’t remember but I think so. I like the red hearts on the blush pink; it’s really cute. Not my favorite bag of all time, but still really cute. 

The Products: 

            I don’t remember which ones were chosen for me and which ones I chose and I didn’t get an email this month with a condensed look at my products. I also don’t think I rated products last month…oops. 

Byroe Fig Renewal Oil:

            I am still getting into facial oils and when I saw this, I thought it was perfume and I thought that was a fun new thing that ISPY was carrying. I was incorrect and it is a facial oil. I do not like how it smells, like it does not smell good and I know that good skin care shouldn’t be heavily perfumed but this one does not smell good. Also, with oils I prefer a dropper instead of shaking the product out of the bottle, it’s a little weird. Let’s hope the skin benefits outweigh both of those things. One more note, for the price point of this product at retail price, it’s really small.

Glamlite S’mores Highlight and Contour Palette: 

            I love the packaging and the idea. My one issue with it is that the bronzer contour shade is way too dark for me. I like the other two shades but Chocolate is so dark and I would look very odd with a tone that dark on my face. So this one kind of missed the mark for me just for that contour color as someone who is on the pale side. 

111Skin Cryo Pre-Activated Toning Cleanser:

            I picked this one, I looked on the website and it tells me what I picked which is really convenient. I love 111Skin it’s one of those brands that if I couldn’t get it in a subscription box, I wouldn’t buy it because it is just so expensive. I am really looking forward to giving this one a try because I am just about out of cleanser and I am all for a new one. 111Skin is just one of those brands that I really enjoy because it was developed by a doctor and usually those brands don’t break me out and that is all I want some days. 

Clean Skin Club Vitamin C Brightening Booster:

            I picked this one too because the choices were not that great and I have so many serums now. I think I am going to give this one to my mom so she can try out serums as well. I love the brightening benefits that this one claims, but I just have so many. The benefits of this one for sure sound more up my mom’s street than mine so I will probably pass this one on to her which I am totally cool with.

Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm in Nearly Mauve:

            I like the packaging and I am hoping that this one isn’t super glossy. I picked this one because it was the only one that I even considered wanting. I am wearing it at the moment because I do that with glosses when I get them to see how sticky they are to make sure that I want to even keep it. It’s a pretty sheer shade and I like that about it and it isn’t super sticky so that is really exciting for me because I used really sticky gloss in the 2000’s and I am still reeling from how much gloss I used as a pre-teen and a teenager because it was such a bigger thing then. 

            Well, there you have it. This was my February GB+ and it was pretty good. I still wish that ultra-personalization was different but I think I might be in the minority on that one. 

If you want to see what I got in January, you totally can, just click on the month!

            I don’t really have all that much to say and that’s totally okay at the moment because this post is just about what I got and how I feel about it, I don’t have to have a bunch of exposition. 

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

            -MJ