I've cancelled my IPSY Subscription

After about 3 months of contemplating whether or not to cancel my IPSY subscription I finally decided to pull the plug.  I've been with ipsy over a year and remember being so excited after being on the wait list for quite some time.  Every month I could not wait for that pink package to arrive.  But the last few months had me wondering.  "Yes" it's only$10 a month, and "yes" retail value is always more than $10, and "yes" sometimes you get really great brands such as Urban Decay and Bare Minerals just to name a couple.  But often times I'm left with a handful of products I never use, will never purchase, and never even want to try.  I don't even know what to do with all the Ipsy makeup bags that come each month.  They are just scattered and most filled with feminine products.

Here is January's Bag

It came with Pacifica natural coconut eyeshadow in ethereal, Bellapierre loose eyeshadow in celebration, probelle nail lacquer in into the blue, Eco-Beauty good day day moisturizer, and an Elizabeth mott all over eye shadow brush.  

It's not a "bad" bag but for someone who has been collecting makeup for a few years these products would do absolutely nothing for me.  Nothing exciting and nothing I would want to repurchase.  For someone who is just starting out with makeup this would be fine.  At this point I feel that I've graduated into quality over quantity.  While I still love trying new products out Ipsy just isn't worth while for me as 9/10 times I've hardly used the products sent.

Please leave a comment if on your thoughts on Ipsy or have thought about canceling you subscription or even why you've decided to keep it.

Thanks for visiting,

KI  

Nars Virtual Domination Cheek Palette

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Quick Post: Kat Von D Star Studded Eyeshadow Book

Here is a brief post on the Kat Von D Star Studded Eyeshadow Book that I felt I had to do a quick review about.  I wanted to get this out because this was originally $55 at Sephora but it is currently on sale for $28.  This palette got eaten up on Sephora.com and is out of stock but you can try visiting a Sephora store and getting your hands on one, which is what I had to do.

This palette or book comes with 24 eyeshadows.  All ranging in different hues and finishes.  For the most part, it's no lie that I adore her eyeshadows.  But there were 5 colors which where fails for me and they all live in the 3rd and 4th row which house the purple and blue shades.  Needless to say, if you are thinking of getting this book for the purple and blue shades.......STOP and rethink this purchase.  BUT, if you're like me and a lover of all things nude, brown, and bronzy then GO NOW to your nearest Sephora and swoop it up.  Again the 3rd and 4th rows major fails for me but the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th rows are gor-ge-ous!!!

These are from row 1 and 2 (My Faves)

left to right: Solar, Nephilim, Damned, Division, Platonic, Mandala, Depeche, Brass Knuckles

My least favorite Shades are from this bunch (rows 3 and 4) and difficult to swatch.

From left to right: Anti-star, Estrella, Banshee, Violator, Black StarStarflyer, Gothica, and 

Fascnation Street

Another set of beautiful colors from the 5th and 6th rows

From left to right: Moz, Heaven Knows, Crosses, Covenant, Smiths, Leather, Craft, and Cult

For disliking 5 out of the 24 shades I would purchase this again.  The other colors more than make up for the pigmentation and blendablity of Estrella, Black Star, Starflyer, Gothica (just horrible, chunky, Patchy, and glittery), and Fascination Street.  

Again if you can get to a Sephora go and pick this palette up. For the sale price of $28 you can't go wrong!

Thanks for visiting,

KI

Kat Von D Innerstellar Pallette

There is no denying Kat Von D's cosmetic line sold at Sephora.  Her cosmetics, aside for maybe one or two items, have never failed me.  Her eyeshadows, for the most part, are known for their soft, creamy, buttery, and blendable consistency.

I recently purchased her newest palette on Sephora.com, the Innerstellar eyeshadow palette.  Unfortunately, this palette is only available online to VIB Rouge members at Sephora.  This is a limited edition palette for Spring 2015...Not sure if that means it won't be for sale to general public until Spring.

Let's take a look...

Basic cardboard packaging, which I can appreciate because it's not too bulky.  Also comes with a good sized mirror.

The palette is arranged so you can use it as a 3 quad palette, each with 4 complimentary colors.  Or, if you're like me you can use whatever colors pleases you.

Top colors left to right:  Gravitron, Vast, Lycann

Bottom row from left to right:  Night crawler, Dios, Lunacy, Astrological, Darkstar, Orion, 3am, Moonshine, and Killing Moon

Here are the bottom row colors swatched in natural lighting

From left to right: Night crawler, Dios, Lunacy, Astrological, Darkstar, Orion, 3am, Moonshine, and Killing Moon

Here are the top row shadows, again swatched in natural light

From left to right: Gravitron, Vast, Lycann

This is a beautiful palette with beautiful colors and you can tell that a lot of though went into the colors in this palette because ALL of the colors look so lovely together.  Whether you decide to use each quad alone or any color you choose across the palette, you will achieve a gorgeous look.  Your looks can range from a very natural eye to a very glamour eye, a black smokey eye, or a brown/bronzy smokey eye, even a purple smokey eye.  It comes with a nice brown matte transition color and a couple of colors that can be used to highlight your brow.  

This palette retails for $46 at Sephora only for VIB rouges at this time.

Thanks again for visiting my page.

KI

The end of my 53 Day Makeup No Buy Challenge

If you read my first blog you'll know that I embarked on a "53 day No Buy Makeup Challenge".  I gave myself until my birthday (which was 53 days) to not buy any makeup.  I also secretly tried to not buy and clothing, shoes, or accessories but did not tell anyone because I didn't want to hold myself accountable.  What a sissy, I know!  My main focus was on makeup because I knew I had an addiction to buying it.

I posted a "Makeup No Buy Challenge Fail" and blogged about products I ended up buying.  I decided that I would continue to try and that is what I did, try.  I won't sit here and say that I didn't spend any money during the challenge because I did.  A couple weeks before my birthday I went out with my girls.  We ended up spending the day at Santana Row in San Jose where I indulged in a day at the spa, getting my hair blown out and shopping.  We hit up the mall across the street and didn't leave until it closed.  I can't believe we spent an hour and a half at sephora.  I ended up purchasing a few things.  I will also admit that I've been to ulta and did some damage.

What  I will say is although this  No Buy Challenge wasn't 100% successful I did learn a lot about myself.  I learned that I was getting addicted to shopping, especially buying Makeup.  I think I tend to buy more makeup than clothing or shoes or anything else because unlike clothes or shoes I know they will "fit" and I don't need to worry about it "fitting me".  It's an easy buy.   I got caught up in watching youtube and my favorite gurus.  I had to try the latest products, and everyone's holy grail products, that I've accumulated a massive amount of makeup, spent thousands of dollars, and will never ever ever use them all up.   I've learned that I don't need to buy every color of an item or have every shade of lipstick.  I don't need 40 different red/burgandy lipsticks because in truth I could probably get away with having 3 and no one would know the difference.  I don't need to latest palette, in fact I don't need to have them all.

I'm not saying I'm never shopping again but I now know that I don't need everything I want.  I've realized that the $200 sitting in my shopping cart while I'm shopping online will only give me a temporary high of thinking I'm about to get $200 worth of new things but now I tell myself, "ok, if I buy this I will be $200 poorer".

As corny as it sounds I am a better person because of this challenge.  I can put the money I save into getting a house or taking trips with my family.  Again, Not to say I will never buy a new lipstick again. Just wiser decisions!

Thanks for reading, XO
Kathleen

MAC Lipstick in Giddy & Shy Shine

If you're as lucky as I am and live near The Cosmetic Company Store you will know that this is any Makeup Junkie's dream.  We're talking discounted pricing on MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Smashbox, YSL, all types of fragrences,  just to name a few.  Visiting one of these stores is hit or miss and each time I've visited there are different items all the time.  Almost like a Ross or Marshalls for cosmetics.  They had decent array of items for each brands and I noticed they sold discontinued MAC Collections.  I was also impressed to find to find things like the MACs infamous Mineral skin finish in Soft and Gentle among other shades.

I ended up picking up two Mac Lipsticks which I paid $10 each for.  I'll review and swatch them for you here

From left to right: MAC Shy Shine (lustre) & MAC Giddy (Lustre)

MAC's Shy shine is a beautiful pinky nude and is my favorite nude at the moment.  Its a pink without being too pink and muted enough to be called a nude.  It is a lustre finish and glides on effortlessly.  This has been my "go to" when I have no idea what to wear on lips.  

MAC's Giddy is also a lustre and compared to Shy Shine is pinky-er.   Because it is a lustre it goes on smoothly although is a little more opaque than Shy Shine.  

If you have the opportunity to visit this store I highly recommend it.  Is it worth making a special trip out for? That depends on if your looking for something specific.  As I mentioned the products change frequently and you never know what you will find.  I will say that it is worth checking out what MAC collections they have at discounted prices.

Thanks for visiting my page, comment below if you have visited one of these stores and what you've found.

XO,

Kathleen

NYX Baked Blushes

I can say I'm a blush addict but in all truth I love ALL Makeup. I know that I probably have duplicate colors in different brands and different finishes but I can't help it.  I need to try different brands, even if they look similar to my other ones.  Just like I have a ton of nude or red lippies, you can't just have one...or even five for that matter.  I'm sure all my fellow makeup addicts would agree.  

Here I will be swatching the NYX Baked Blushes.  I own 9 out of 12.  These are the baked blushes that NYX claims can be used as a blush, bronzer, or illuminator.  Because they are baked they can be used dry or wet (You can spray your brush with water for a more intensified color).  I never really go for a bold blush look so I can't imagine using these wet.  Therefore, the swatches provided are all dry.

Pink Fetish- hot pink, found it difficult to swatch, the brightest of the 9 I own

Foreplay- a very pretty coral color with a beautiful shimmer

Ladylike- light pink with shimmer

Spanish Rose- Another beautiful pink hue, a little darker than Ladylike

Journey- this appeared as a matte pink to me although the packaging stated this can be used as an illuminator.  I saw very little to no shimmer 

Wanderlust-This seemed matte at first but after inspecting a little closer there are tiny goldflecks.  Not enough for me to be considered an illuminator but definitely not a true matte

Solstice- This was a very pretty bronzer color to me.  This would add beautiful color to achieve that sun kissed look.  Gorgeous, although because of the shimmer could not used to contour

Chiffon- Somedays you just don't feel like wearing pink blush right?  This is a beautiful bronzer type color with a mauve or pink undertone.  Beautiful color

Sugar Mama- Probably my least favorite of the bunch, you can hardly see it on my skin tone.  This would probably be gorgeous on someone of fairer skin tone or even used as a highlighter on someone of darker complexion.  I'm usually a NC 40-42 in MAC for reference.

Here all of them swatched side by side so you can compare

From left to right: Pink Fetish, Foreplay, Ladylike, Spanish Rose, Journey, Wanderlust, Solstice, Chiffon, Sugar Mama

For the price point these are ok.  They retail for about $7.  I got these on ulta when they were having their 40% off sale plus I also got them buy one get one half off.  Had there not been the sale going on I probably would not have purchased as many as I did.  I will say that the majority did swatch chalky but when applied with a brush on your face they look quite beautiful.  I should also mention that when first swatched, or even touched, they have this hard outer film.  I'm not sure what was up with that but after you buff or remove that outer layer you do get better pigmentation of the product.    They do provide beautiful, natural color to your face with a very pretty hint of shimmer.  I personally, LOVE shimmer and highlighter so I always add a separate highlighter.  They are not very long lasting.  After applying these in the morning I did have to reapply in the afternoon.  Not that big a deal to me as I was home, and am never really out of the house all day.  I wouldn't wear these to work my 12 hour shifts as they wouldn't last that long.

All in all as mentioned they were ok,  I probably won't be purchasing the other 3 and probably won't repurchase.  

Thanks for visiting my page, let me know what you think of these.

XO, Kathleen