Pacifica

It’s ipsy time again! This month’s theme is Street Style in honor of the glamorous and edgy looks created by fashion week and ipsters everywhere.

I like the square design and faux silver leather look with its little rivets. It’s a great piece for fall and winter. I could see myself using this as a clutch for an evening out. One of my favorite physical bags in several months.

Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush by Crown Brushes (full size $6.99)

Synthetic fibers, so yay for cruelty-free brushes! Double ended brushes have always mystified me a bit because of the difficulty in storage. This one is much the same. Soft bristles and blends well though. 30 % off any purchase of $25 or more with code CROWNIPSY30.

NYX Hot Singles Eye Shadow in Velvet (full size $4.50)

One of my all time favorite drugstore brands. I will always be happy to see NYX in my ipsy bag. The warm brown shade I received is the ideal crease shade and blends beautifully. Perfect for fall and I think it brings out my blue eyes well too. The coupon for this one was for 30% off their waterproof shadow primer: FALLPROOF.

Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask from Briogeo (sample value $4.95)

I wasn’t very excited about this when I saw this in my bag, but the results have changed my mind. First of all, the smell is so light but creates a nice scent cloud. The top note is the sweet almond, which I love. But there’s also some great, nourishing ingredients in this mask like avocado, argon oil, aloe, and essential vitamins. Oh, and its cruelty and gluten-free.

It’s been three days since I last used this and my hair still feels soft and clean. A full size tub of this (5.25 oz) will set you back $26.00, but you don’t need much of it to get the full effects so it would be a good value. I’m considering purchasing but I also have a few other hair products that need to get used up first. So maybe in the future. Just a free shipping code with this one, I probably would have purchased if the code had been better.

Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss in Basic Instinct (full size $19.00)

I wanted to love this product. The name alone made me want to love this gloss. And I’d had luck with Cailyn lippies in past ipsy bags. But at best I find this lip gloss wearable. I won’t be reaching for it regularly. In the tube it looks like a pinky nude but on my lips it reads more like terra-cotta. I do like the applicator which is an oblong sponge instead of a traditional doe foot. This gloss has a very chemical smell to it which is off putting. And the wear-time is poor, maybe 40 minutes max. I’m not giving up on the brand but I’m disappointed with this Cailyn product.

Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish in Red Red Wine (full size $9.00)

My favorite product this month. Holy cow! I put this on my nails a few days ago and can’t stop staring at them. There has been some chipping but I’m so in love with this color that I’m not even mad at needing to do touch ups. Gorgeous Merlot colored polish that was already quite glossy without a top-coat. I would love to check out more of the Pacifica polishes in the future. Really impressed. For 20% off of any Pacifica purchase use the code FallBeauty at checkout.

Even though I wasn’t happy with the Cailyn lip gloss, this ended up being one of my favorite ipsy bags in months. There were some quality products in here and four out of the five items were full-sized. This month’s $10 bag had a value of $44.44. Very nice!

Here’s my referral link if you’d like to try ipsy.

It’s that time again! My second ipsy bag arrived earlier this week, and I have already been luxuriating in May’s Fresh Picks. This month’s bag is all about doing good things for your skin and hair. Lots of skin protectors, moisturizers, and animal friendly finds.

Most of you probably know about ipsy, the $10 a month subscription service that mails you 4-5 beauty products in a unique makeup bag. I love ipsy. It’s such a great value and has already gotten me clued in to some amazing new things. Check out the link at the bottom of the page to sign up for your own monthly makeup bag.

This month’s bag is a little canvas number with light green vines printed on the front. So easy to throw in my purse or clutch, and it’s a standout in the depths of my bag. But now to the goodies!

Pacifica Mineral Eye Duo: This set was the only bit of makeup in my bag this month and it’s a special duo made for ipsy. The shades are Celestial and Opal and are regularly part of the Mystical Palette, which has two additional shades and retails for $14. Pacifica is all about natural, vegan friendly beauty. I’m typically drawn to these kind of shimmery neutrals, so I was excited to receive this duo in my bag. The formula is smooth but very sheer and it doesn’t build as well as I might like. I’ll still use these shadows but they might be regulated to highlight tones. Ipsters receive 25% off any Pacifica order though, so that may be worth investigating.

Avene Thermal Spring Water: I’ve never been so entranced with fancy water. Pulled straight from a thermal spring in France this spray is noted for its purity standards. Avene products are also ideal for sensitive skin. At first, I thought, “Seriously? Spray water is in my bag?” but I am in love with this little beauty. A light spritz is so refreshing first thing in the morning or after completing your evening skin care routine. Or if it’s hot outside, pop this in your bag for a bit of relief whenever you need it. A full bottle costs $18. But for the same price at drugstore.com you can get three of the travel sizes like the one pictured above. Ipsy is offering 15% on any Avene product through drugstore.com too, so it will be even cheaper if you’re a subscriber.

Hey Honey Take It Off! Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask: You know when you have a sunburn and it’s godawful but the peeling part at the end is kind of fun? This peel off mask is like that sensation without the skin damage and physical discomfort. Yay! It’s a clear mask that exfoliates and gets the gunk out of your pores. Their website recommends you lightly moisturize before applying and then lightly moistrize after taking the mask off. What I like to do is spray the Avene on before and then massage the pur~lisse into my skin after. My skin has never felt so lush and soft and pampered than when using this combo. Quite by accident, ipsy gave me my new favorite spa trio. Full size of this mask retails for $35, which you can get on heyhoney.com

Jersey Shore Sun Sans Tan Anti-Aging Sunscreen: I’ve always been a fan of sunblock, but I never fully processed the difference between physical and chemical sunscreens. Physical sunscreens literally block or deflect the sun’s rays. Chemical sunscreens scatter or absorb the rays. This SPF 35 product is a physical sunblock because of its zinc oxide formula. It goes on thick and leaves your skin with a white cast, so use this product first then put your foundation on. While the phrase “anti-aging” is in the title, I’m not convinced it does anything more than protect you from the sun’s rays, which can accelerate the aging process if you overindulged. A full size product can set you back $40, but using ipsy’s code, you can get 30% off the full size.

Pur~lisse pur~moist hydra balance moisturizer: When I saw this product in the bag, I thought I would happily use my sample size and move on to other moisturizers. False. I’m in love with this pur~lisse product. It has a light, fresh smell and hydrates your skin all day. Some of the ingredients are blue lotus and white tea, which is what I think I’m smelling. So good! Full size versions of this retail for $55 but you can get 30% off any pur~lisse purchase if you’re an Ipster.

I’m so pleased with this month’s ipsy bag. It’s hard for me to estimate the value of the bag this month since everything is a sample size, but for $10 I am beyond thrilled. The discounts you get as an Ipster is also worthwhile.

Want to become an Ipster? Copy and paste the link below to get started…

http://www.ipsy.com/r/7zfy