Month: February 2021
February 2021 Ipsy Bag – Send Love
I’d received the February bag weeks ago, but I had to thaw out a bit before I was able to try products – Texas was frozen solid!
February’s ipsy bag was full of brands that were new to me. I love getting to try out new brands.
My product choice this month was Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask with Volcanic Clusters. It was a nice clay mask, but it did have an odd, vinegar-y smell. I did not find the volcanic clusters though.
Also in this month’s bag: Banila Co Clean It Zero Pore Clarifying Cleansing Balm (a slight menthol odor had me freaked out that I accidentally rubbed Vick’s all over my face and eyes, but it emulsified without blinding me; it reminds me of the Pharmacy Cleansing Balm); Shades by Shan Eyeshadow Duo in “Whip & Shortcake Honey”; a Shaina B Miami Blush Brush; and Soroci Morning Waterdrop Cream (a nice, light moisturizer).
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
February Diamond Day
I’ve needed shampoo for a bit, but I’ve started waiting until Ulta’s Diamond Day each month, to see what goodies they offer up…
For February’s Diamond Day, they offered the Kylie Cosmetics Birthday Sipping Pretty Palette ($65) FREE with $20 purchase. Since it came out in 2018, they must have had a bunch sitting around – let’s see if I can sell it on Poshmark. I also got a Cover FX Monochromatic Lip Color ($21) FREE with a $25 purchase.
I really like NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner, so I bought a Bottle of the Shampoo ($14) and a refill pouch of the Conditioner ($22). The pouch saves me ~26 cents per ounce – yes, I did the math!
I am forever in search of new acne products, so I grabbed OH K! Blemish Powder ($15). I was expecting a powder, but it’s a liquid! It’s very similar to Kate Somerville EradiKate, but with Calamine instead of sulfur. It does reduce redness and dried out my breakout zones – but couldn’t I just use MUCH cheaper calamine lotion???
I am continuing my obsession with lip balms into 2021 – I got the Ulta Harry Potter X Ulta Beauty Magic Lip Balm Set ($8.99) – a set of 5 magically named glitter lip balms. The balms are supposed to be scented, but I couldn’t smell anything. I gave the lavender (purple glitter) and matcha (green glitter) balms to my daughter and kept blueberry, honey & rose for myself.
Just $1,065 to Diamond in 2022…I better get to shopping.
Hot & Hazy
Sinful Colors “Hot & Hazy” is the first up for sampling from the Sheer Matte “Tulle Temptations” Collection. It’s a light neon orange, but it also reminds me a bit of watermelon juice?
I totally copied Melissa (accio_nails) for my swatches. After a nice coat of Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, I did one coat on my index finger, two coats on my middle finger, and three coats on my ring finger, pinky and thumb. I used the new Sinful Colors Demi Matte Top Coat on all my fingers, EXCEPT my pinky. My pinky got Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I really like the touch of shimmer in these polishes – I’m looking forward to trying the rest!
So Matcha Better
Sinful Colors “So Matcha Better” is my first pick from the Essenchills Collection!
I don’t know why this color called out to me – it certainly wasn’t the scent. I am not a big green tea/Matcha drinker. The scent was delicate and not offensive. It did not last very long – it faded by the next morning. The color reminds me of swamp mud…imagine Shrek, sitting on my muddy fingernails, farting away…
This is two coats of “So Matcha Better” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. No top coat, so I could let the scent breathe.
Essenchills + Tulle Temptations
If there’s one thing that 2021 has going for it, it’s TWO new collections from Sinful Colors!
The Essenchills Collection is another scented collection, inspired by the scents of a spa day. There are 9 polishes in the collection: “So Matcha Better” (Matcha Tea), “Chamomile Calm” (Chamomile), “Bath Goals” (a Milky Bath), “Coffee Drip” (Coffee), “Salt Bath Babe” (Himalayan Salt), “Beach Vibes” (Ocean Breeze), “Smoky Palo Santo” (Palo Santo), “Low-Key Lavender” (Lavender), and “Eucalyptahhh” (Eucalyptus).
The Tulle Temptations Collection is made of sheer matte polishes with a shimmer. There’s a Semi-Matte Top Coat and 8 polishes: “Sheer-Treuse” (lime green), “Turnt-quoise” (turquoise), “Veiled in Violet” (purple), “Kiss of Cobalt” (blue), “Hot Pink Tights” (pink), “Hot & Hazy” (coral), “See-Through Citrine” (yellow), and “Ruby Tutu” (red).
I was a bit impatient, so I went ahead and ordered six packs of each collection on Amazon…but since each collection is 9 polishes, I knew I would still be on the hunt. Before I even got the Amazon deliveries, BOTH collections showed up at HEB, with the Sheer Matte Tulle Temptations at $1.98 each and the Essenchills at $2.98 each, which is opposite of their Amazon pricing. I filled out my collection, as well as getting duplicate sets to send to a few friends. Like last year’s collection, each collection had Wal-mart exclusive colors, which I managed to find a few days after the others.
Which one will I try first…hmmmmm…
January 2021 Allure Beauty Box – Happy Returns
I know I’m way past due to talk about a January Beauty Box, but I wanted to try at least SOME of the products first.
When I first opened the box, I was like, WTF is this skimpy box? But I was intrigued as I started rooting through the box. The first thing I noticed was the card from Mani Me x Allure worth $30 towards customized stick-on nail gels. You upload pics of your nails and they 3D print them to fit exactly! I ordered a set and am patiently awaiting their arrival.
The big box in this month’s box is Saturday Skin Rub-a-Dub Refining Peel Gel. This was an interesting product. I don’t use peels often because of my sensitive skin, but this one was super gentle. I still don’t plan on using it more than every few weeks.
Also in this month’s box: L’occitane Immortelle Reset Huile-en-Serum (smells so good); True + Luscious Super Moisture Lipstick in “Vintage Rose”; The Beauty Crop Blush Duo in “Mauve-ulous”; and a Baseblue Airsponge.
I’ll hold off judgement on this box until I get my Mani Me Gels…
The Allure Beauty Box recently increased their price from $15 to $23/month. They also offer an option for $250/year – a savings of $26. Sign up via my referral link.
Sweet Cheeks
I absolutely LOVED this nail polish. I’m usually more ambivalent about sheer polishes, but this one was so squishy.
I’ve been sitting on Sinful Colors Quick Bliss “Sweet Cheeks (Sheer)” for a bit. The formula has a great consistency and although sheer, gives smooth, self-levelling coverage.
This is two coats of “Sweet Cheeks (Sheer)” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I went shiny with Glisten & Glow Top Coat and the finished look reminds me of a gummy bear!
January 2021 Ipsy Bag – Dream It
Don’t dream it…be it…
I’ve had to keep a close eye on this little ipsy bag – my daughter keeps trying to steal it! Her favorite YouTuber is “Dream”, so she really wants this Dreamy-y makeup bag.
My product choice this month was Byroe Salmon Cream – it’s made of FISH EGGS. Yeah, I don’t care – I’ve been rubbing it all over my face. It’s not any worse snail slime.
Also in this month’s bag: Sugar Cosmetics Matte as Hell Crayon in “Viola” (LOVE this shade); Complex Culture Time Pressed Lip Balm (I lined my lips with the lip crayon and filled in with this balm – the crayon stayed put, but my lips were also moisturized); Laruce Beauty LR22 Kabuki Brush in Denim Blue Collection (this is the tiniest kabuki brush I’ve ever seen); and Kensie Beauty So Pretty Fragrance (I have been wearing it – but the scent is so non-descript that I cannot describe it….it’s just…there.)
Another great bag – thanks, ipsy!
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $12/month. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.