My 3 Absolute Favorite Masks to Travel With

I love masks. I don't love traveling. But I do like pampering my skin while I'm traveling. I've always heard that it's great to wear a sheet mask on planes, because it protects your skin from the dry air. Next time I take a plane, I'll definitely be packing a sheet mask to relax with... but for now, I want to share the 3 masks that I always bring for road trips and quick weekend trips to keep my skin looking the best it possibly can (even in adverse conditions, like extreme dry heat). 

If you didn't catch my post last week about keeping your skincare routine while traveling, you can read that here. 

1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mask

I love the Body Shop's Tea Tree facial cleanser--I use it every single day and it has made a huge difference in my skin. So, when I had a 20% off coupon at Ulta in June, I decided it was time to treat myself to the matching clay mask. Here's what it promises: 

“Cool and deeply cleanse your skin with our Tea Tree infused clay mask. Perfect for blemished complexions, the instantly cooling sensation refreshes skin, without over drying. This mask will help to clear impurities while absorbing excess sebum, leaving skin feeling smoother and clearer looking.”

If you have a lot of issues with acne, this mask is perfect: it contains tea tree oil, which we know helps with acne, but isn't as tight and drying as many clay masks. I've rocked clay masks before and while they always helped my acne a little bit, they also left my skin feeling very dehydrated--which make texture on other areas of my face (like my forehead) worse. This mask doesn't so that; it feels lovely on, smells great, and has made a huge difference in my skin. The next thing I want to try from this line is the Tea Tree Night Mask. 

2. YesTo Coconut 2-Step Lip Kit

I always get chapped lips when I travel, probably because 1) I'm usually drinking less water and 2) I don't have access to my usual glut of lip balms. I'm a firm believer that lip balm just makes dry lips worse, but at this stage in my life, I'm too far gone: save yourselves, I'm addicted to lip balm, I know it's a problem. That being said, this mask is one of my favorites to bring on trips or to pick up while I'm traveling (because it's at almost any Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, or Target). Here's what it does: 

“Say Yes To the Coconut 2 Step Mask and going coo coo for coconut, sugar and sodium hyaluronate to plump and smooth lips naturally. Step 1 features a lip scrub to exfoliate and smooth lips, preparing them for plumping. Step 2 includes a lip mask to plump and hydrate lips, making them softer, fuller and more supple.”

I'm a huge fan of YesTo products; they are one of the handful of truly cruelty free drugstore brands out there and their masks have always worked for me. While this mask does contain coconut oil, it's not a face mask; it's a lip mask, so I don't have to worry about the oil clogging my pores. (Reminder: coconut oil is horrible to put on your face. Scalp and hair? Ok. Lips? Ok. Face? If you're acne prone, absolutely never.) 

3. Oh K! Korean Multi-Step Charcoal Mask 

The Oh K! masks are a Korean brand that you can find at CVS and Walgreens. They're super cute, which great packaging, and this one is one of my favorites. If you're going on a short trip, perhaps just overnight, it's a great one to bring along because it condenses your routine into one mask. It includes a cleanser, a mask, and a moisturizing serum, so you're all set. Here's what it promises: 

“Charcoal acts as a magnet to extract dirt from the skin and this multi-step mask offers a complete cleansing regime: deep clean wash, charcoal fiber mask to remove impurities and a moisturizing serum. Fiber masks are super nourishing, the sheet acts as a barrier to prevent the formula evaporating so skin can absorb 3 x more than a liquid mask.”

Those are powerful promises! This mask includes one of my absolute favorite serums: the moisturizing serum seriously was so amazing, I tried to see if Oh K! sells is alone. It doesn't appear they do, so I do one of these masks every month (they're a little spendier than the average sheet mask) just to use that dang serum! Cute, compact, and effective, it really doesn't get better than that. 

Who Has the Better Foundation Match Quiz: Ulta vs. Sephora

Foundation is, and always has been, my bugbear. It's the one part of my routine that I can never really settle on. If the shade is good, then the wear is terrible; if the wear is great, it oxidizes, or breaks down, or just looks shiny as a new penny by the end of the day. I've tried all kinds methods to keep my foundation set and, while I finally settled on a good method in the last 6 months, I got it into my head that it was time to find... the Perfect Foundation. 

A few weeks ago, I was watching ThaTaylaa's video on her experience with the Ulta Foundation Quiz and it struck me that I should do that too. And then, as I was preparing to get all the foundations it recommend, I realized that Sephora has a foundation quiz as well. Ulta and Sephora have some crossover, in terms of the foundations that they carry, but they also have some exclusives; an example is that Ulta doesn't carry the Peach Perfect foundation from TooFaced, but it does exclusively have Tarte's FaceShape foundation and the Shape Tape concealer. 

I decided to buy what I could, get some samples, and test 3 foundations from each quiz to find the ultimate winner. 

How I Took the Quizzes

You can find the Ulta foundation quiz here and the Sephora foundation quiz here.  Each quiz asks the same 3 questions, with roughly the same answers, so I tried to answer them the exact same. 

• I said I wanted medium coverage.
• I said I wanted a satin or natural finish. 
• I said I wanted long wearing. 

Sephora did ask an extra few questions about preference (with sunscreen or without, liquid or cream, etc), but those don't have much influence on the end results. I got roughly 10-15 foundation suggestions from each website; Ulta's included some drugstore brands, which was nice. 

Which Foundations I Picked

Due to money constraints (and honestly, time), I decided to pick 3 foundations from each store to try. 

From Ulta, I chose: 

1. Maybelline Dewy & Smooth Fit Me in Shade 110 Porcelain
2. NARS Radiant Longwear in Oslo
3. TooFaced Born This Way foundation in Swan

From Sephora, I chose: 

1. Tarte Rainforst of the Sea in Fair Neutral
2. Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful Look in Y110 
3. TooFaced Peach Perfect in Snow

Methodology for Testing

I tested approximately 1 foundation a day for 2 weeks, trying to wear each foundation twice with different application methods. I kept note of the time I applied it, what I applied it with, how it wore, and any issues I had with application and wear. I kept notes on my computer with specific dates and times. I tried to be as fair as possible with each foundation, in terms of the amount I applied, how I applied it, and how long I wore it. 

I ended up only buying one foundation: the Maybelline Dewy & Smooth. I got samples from Sephora of all the others, which they weren't super happy about, but they did it. (Thanks, Sephora!) 

The Swatches & Color Match

As you can see from swatches above, as much as I tried to get all of the foundations in a shade closest to my natural skin tone, they vary greatly. I'm a fair neutral shade, and true neutral foundations can be difficult to find. Initially, I was sure that the Marc Jacobs foundation would be the best match for me--and while I'll save my conclusion of best color match, it actually turned out to not be. It's funny how different foundations can look blended in versus just swatched! 

The way I determined my color for most of these was by using Sephora's Color IQ feature; I'm a 2Y01 in their color matching, so I picked the appropriate shades based on that.

Wearing TooFaced Peach Perfect Foundation

Wearing the NARS Radiant Longer Wear 

The Results

I thought for a long time how to best go through this and I finally settled on sharing a brief review of each foundation, as well as information for how I wore it. Then, I'll share my picks for a few distinctions (least favorite, most favorite, best wearing, best color match, etc.) Ok, let's jump in! 

• Maybelline Dewy & Smooth Fit Me in shade 110 Porcelain: I wore this 2 days in a row. The first time, I wore it with setting powder underneath and Maybelline Fit Me Loose Powder on top; the second time, I wore setting powder both underneath and on top (It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores loose powder both times). Both times, I felt like it looks really good going on, but it has relatively low coverage. The first time I wore it, it started breaking down and feeling tacky within 2 hours, and looked quite cake-y within three hours. in general I found that this didn't wear very well and it oxidized about 1/2 a shade each time I wore it. There is also a smell to this foundation; not as bad as the Wet'n'Wild Photofocus Foundation, but pretty chemical. 
   
• NARS radiant Longwear in Oslo: I wore this two days in a row, both times with It Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores loose powder underneath and on top. It went on really beautifully and seemed like a very good color match. In terms of how it looked immediately after applying, it was one of my favorites. However, by noon it had settled into my pores really badly and looked very cake-y on my chin and forehead. It had also broken down and rubbed off my nose and upper lip, emphasized the texture on my cheeks, and generally look awful within a few hours. 
   
• TooFaced Born This Way in Swan: Initially, I thought this would be one of the worst color matches; however, it ended up looking beautiful on my skin and didn't oxidize at all throughout the day. I applied it with my usual method of setting powder under and over it. It wore really well. I did notice a little bit of breakdown around my nose, and I got quite oily on my chin and forehead, but not as bad as the previous two foundations. I was really impressed with this foundation. 
   
• Tarte Rainforst of the Sea in Fair Neutral: First things first, this was too dark the moment I put it on. With lots of blending it looked fine, but I could definitely see the line to where I blended it. I went on beautifully, however, and looked great throughout the day. I wore my setting powder both under the foundation and over the top, as usual. Some breakdown on my chin and some settling into the pores on my forehead, but not as bad as I expected considering how dewy this foundation is. It did feel quite oily and tacky; I used blotting papers throughout the day and that did control the oily look quite well. 
   
• Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful Look in Y110: I thought this shade would be really close to my natural skin tone but going on, it was quite yellow, even in my admittedly bad bathroom light. I felt like it really enhanced and emphasized my texture. The coverage is quite low. I wore it with my usual setting powder under and over. It settled very oddly on my forehead almost immediately and it had a powdery look to it, almost as if it was just sitting on top of my skin. Throughout the day it got very cake-y, settled into all my pores and lines, emphasized my texture, and almost completely disappeared from my chin. It transferred almost everywhere and I had to wash it off my 3pm. I also felt like it made me breakout really bad. 
   
• TooFaced Peach Perfect in Snow: This is the foundation I was most excited for! As usual, I wore it with setting powder under and over. It smells very sweet, like artificial peaches, but I didn't find it overwhelming. I'm not sure the color is the best match for me, but it did look great on my skin. The moment I applied it, it seemed to dry down to an extreme matte, which was really interesting. After about 5 hours, it wore really well, particularly on my cheeks and forehead; it did settle into my pores somewhat on my nose, and did breakdown slightly on my upper lip. I actually wore this through a nap both days and it looked great even after I'd slept in it! 

Here are a few distinctions:

• Best Color Match: TooFaced Born This Way in Swan
• Best Performance: TooFaced Peach Perfect. If you are very oily and need a matte, long wearing foundation, honestly this is the best I've ever worn. 
• Least Favorite: Surprisingly, probably Marc Jacobs. Being a luxury brand, I was sure MJ would perform amazingly--but I was very disappointed by this foundation. 
• Foundation I Would Purchase: I will probably purchase either of the TooFaced foundations in the next 3-4 months. Both wore extremely well and, in terms of price, gave the biggest bang for their buck.  

Which Quiz Got It Right? 

My two favorite foundations came from either quiz--so it's hard to narrow down which one really "got it". Each quiz, of the three foundations I picked from each one, gave me two foundations that worked well enough that I would consider purchasing. I do think that Ulta's quiz is better as it gave me some of the same recommendations as the Sephora quiz, but also provided some drugstore brands. If you're shopping on a budget, that's definitely a bonus. 

Have you tried either of these foundation quizzes? What did you think? What do you look for when it comes to foundation? 

How to Maintain Your Skincare Routine While Traveling

I know I'm not the only one who feels like traveling does an absolute number on my skin. Switching between different time zones, climates, and more can make my skin go absolutely haywire. Case in point: I spent a week in Idaho this month and even though I kept up my skincare routine, I was left with rough, bumpy, red, dehydrated skin by the end of the week. *Cut to me whining here.* 

Skin is a delicate thing. Sometimes, I wish I worried just a little bit less about my skin--but I've been chasing "perfect skin" for a long time. I know it's not going to be attainable; skin is supposed to have texture, pores, and more. But dryness? Redness? Irritated bumps? No thanks. 

Without further ado, let's talk about how to maintain your skincare routine while you're traveling--and that includes packing everything up. 

1. Narrow down what you need to bring. 

I think most people with serious skincare routines experience that our routines are changeable, depending on what's going on. A prime example, for me, is that if I'm noticing a lot of dryness, I'll use a hyaluronic acid mask or serum; if I'm breaking out, I'll stop using whatever foundation is hurting me and start using a little extra jojoba oil. It's a balance and unfortunately, on vacation, you're stuck with the bare essentials of your routine. So narrow everything down: what is the order of things you do every single night? For me, it includes: 

• Make up remover: jojoba oil 
• Face wash: The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Wash
• Toner: Mario Badescu Rose Toner
• Moisturizer: Pacifica Crystal Youth moisturizer

That's just the barebones essentials, the things I know will keep my skin as good as it can, even in dry, super hot weather. 

2. Packing it up. 

Now, how do you pack all things? Personally, I do not like traveling with my giant bottle of jojoba oil and face wash. I try to keep my packing to a minimum. So here's what I do: I put dollops of everything I need in contact cases. You heard me: those little wells are perfect for packing two or three days worth of oil, moisturizer, and face wash. I usually use one case per item. You can buy a value pack of contact cases that are color coded at Target. Then, I just pack those contact cases into a makeup bag, along with a few other essentials. They are less likely to leak and help you stay organized. 

3. Making time. 

This is the hardest bit on vacation, isn't it? Making time to actually wash your face at the end of the day instead of collapsing into bed with some room service or snacks. The way I do this is that it gives me about 10 or 15 minutes to decompress every evening of vacation. I find traveling very stressful (I'm actually not a huge fan!) and so those 15 minutes are my life blood; I need them in order to sleep well and make it through the next day. It also helps ground me and make me feel a little bit more at home. And if my skin is going haywire from the weather or a different climate, well, it makes me feel like I'm doing a little something that makes a difference. 

4. Correcting when you get home. 

Maintaining your routine while traveling can go a long way towards ensuring that your skin keeps looking great. But a lot of things are out of our control on vacation. As I mentioned, my skin got incredibly dehydrated while I was in Idaho: not dry, but I started noticing bumps and redness that is typical of when my skin is in need of some major TLC. Once I got home, I started using rosehips oil (great for when your skin needs extra moisture, as well as to reduce redness) and my hyaluronic acid mask. If your skin decides to go off the rails while you're on vacation, you can always pop into a drug store for a mask or add an extra moisturizer to your routine; and when you get home, you can take steps to baby your skin and give it that extra TLC. 

My Anti-Haul: 5 Things I Just Won't Buy

You might be wondering: what is an anti-haul?

If you aren't tuned in to beauty gurus on YouTube, you'd be forgiven for not knowing what an anti-haul is. Started by Kimberly Clark, an anti-haul is basically a list of things you won't buy for various reasons: ethical issues with the company or individual who makes the product, bad packaging or design, or some other issue. Sometimes, they can be petty. But sometimes, they can be really fun. 

I really enjoy anti-haul videos. And while some people might think they are needlessly negative, I completely disagree. Sometimes, there is value in admitting that, even if you love makeup, you don't need to buy every single product. At their heart, anti-hauls are anti-consumerism--and if you know me, you know that one thing I really struggle with, in being a lifestyle blogger, is ensuring that I'm not recommending aimless or needless spending. The idea of collecting merely to collect, or to have without using, is pretty repulsive (and stressful) to me. By watching anti-hauls, I feel like I get a better list to narrow down products that are worth purchasing. 

Another reason I love anti-hauls is because they allow us (bloggers and vloggers) opportunities to explain how and why we vote with our wallets. My favorite beauty podcast, Natch Beaut, talks about this a lot: when you purchase a product, you're effectively endorsing that company. And if you don't agree with what that company does, you don't give them money, you don't endorse them. I believe in this wholeheartedly. And there are times where I purchase or review things that make me feel bad (like Maybelline or any company that tests on animals), but it's often because other options just aren't working for me. Overwhelmingly, however, I try to only purchase from ethical companies, and anti-hauls, especially from other influencers, allow me to learn more about the people behind the brands. 

So without further ado, here are 5 things I just won't be buying. 

1. Flesh

When I first started seeing ads for Flesh on my Facebook and Instagram, I got excited. A brand, called Flesh, that features a huge array of shades and challenges what the color "flesh tone" realy is. Baby, I'm interesting. And then, I found out they are owned by Revlon. Yeah, you heard me: Flesh the brand is owned by Revlon. Here is a good Twitter thread on why this is problematic, especially as Flesh has poised itself as a "woke" and inclusive brand. I'm disappointed, but guess what? They're not getting my money. 

2. Kat Von D

I don't know if I really need to wax poetic about this one, but I've long been suspicious of Kat Von D because of some poor choices for lipstick colors, including "Underage Red" (YIKES) and "Selektion" (a German word that refers to the selection process during the Holocaust, extreme YIKES). She has some pretty serious ties to antisemitic people and has been caught up in some antisemitic actions herself. But what sealed the deal for me was her anti-vaccine posts on Instagram. And I know what people are going to say: it's her choice and she's allowed to make it. Yes and no. I won't get into it here, but vaccination is an issue of public health; it's not just about her and her baby. And it's my choice to not give money to someone who believes that immunocompromised people can just bite it because they did 5 minutes of Google research. Also, her husband uses swastikas in his artwork and is probably not the father of the year based on this interview. (And yes, it sucks that Kat is such a prominent vegan and behaves this way.) 

3. Any brand by any beauty guru

Every time a beauty guru launches a new brand, I feel a little bit like I'm suffocating. The careers of YouTube beauty gurus stress me out as it is (I really, really would like to see them diversify their business and also, they need to be collecting their sub list somewhere OFF of YouTube just in case the platform dies overnight), so to see them sink money into a brand that will most likely wither and die in the next 5 years really stresses me out. And add to that: most guru brand launches are lackluster. A set of nude lipsticks. A palette with the same dry, warm-toned neutrals. Yawn. Wake me up when it gets interesting, ok? 

4. Warm-toned neutral eye palettes

If I see another copper-toned eye palette, I'm actually just going to throw myself into the sea. Every palette has the same warm, neutral transition shades. The same copper. The same pumpkin orange. The same white. The same shades, over and over again. I'm tired. I'm bored. Make a cool-toned palette PLEASE. 

5. Your MLM

I think every blogger has had a moment where they get a DM from someone in a MLM, admiring our "hustle" and asking if we want to "bump up our business." It's exhausting. I've recommended a few MLM products in my day and while some things I like individually, the pushy nature of those in MLMs, and the feeling that my friendships are withering because all my friends now only want to see me in order to sell me gross oils or something else, really turn me off. No, I don't want to try a waist wrap or some kind of powder to replace my morning coffee or any essential oils. I just want to Instagram in peace. Thank you. 

Everything I Used in June

I definitely didn't go through as much stuff in June as I did in May. But I think it's important for me, as a consumer, to keep up on my empties posts so I can chronicle what I use and hopefully that will help me reducing my spending (and plastic use) in 2019. 

I apologize right now for these photos. I have a maybe 2 hour window to take photos and sometimes I don't have the best light. Not proud of them, but they're what I've got! C'est la vie and all day. I don't usually use stock photos for posts like this, but in this case, I felt I needed to, as these photos required so much editing to make them not look dark brown... it was honestly like I went back into a 1970s photograph, honestly. 

Anyway, let's jump in! 

1. Biobelle #UnicornGlow Mask

I got this Biobelle mask in my June ipsy bag, and I quite like it! It didn't smell as sweet as I thought it would, as I mentioned, but it did leave my skin very soft. I have one more of it to use, then I'll have to decide how much I really love them. 

2. Mickey Mouse Charcoal Face Mask

I kind of impulse bought two of these Mickey Mouse masks from Target a few weeks ago and decided to use this charcoal one first. I was pretty disappointed. This mask is quite dry, first of all, and the mask itself was very small and oddly shaped. It did make my skin feel quite soft, but given the price and the dryness of the mask, it definitely wasn't worth $3. 

3. Purlisse Coconut Oil & Coffee Body Scrub

If you remember, I received this in my April ipsy bag. I originally liked it quite a bit, but found myself never reaching for it as I found it quite messy to use in the shower! However, it was really nice to use after I use fake tan, as it helps get any orange bits off my ankles or knees. 

4. Tony Moly Painting Therapy Pack 

I received this tube of mask in my May ipsy bag and, ugh, it's one of my favorite masks I've ever received! It also had a ton of uses in this little tube, which is probably why I like it so much--more bang for my buck! I was sad to use up the last little bit, but I'm trying to have less teeny tiny tubes floating around. 

5. Clear Skin Nose Strip (from TJ Maxx) 

Listen: I know these aren't good for my skin. However, I have found that if I do a pore strip on my chin about 2 weeks before my cycle starts, I get less breakouts. I've been experimenting with how to help my face get less congested, especially throughout my cycle, and this is one step that surprised me, but also made total sense. I'll have a post on this later, but for now: these aren't very good for your skin, but I've found a place for them in my routine. 

Beauty Review: OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo

If you've been reading my blog for the last year or so, you know that I've been trying just about every shampoo under the sun to help my scalp.

Around November, I started developing some scalp dryness that left me feeling very itchy. Visits to the dermatologist confirmed that it wasn't dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, or anything medical; I just had dry skin on my scalp. Which is so odd because I have very oily skin otherwise. How can one half of my head be oily and the other half barely produce any oil? 

I've tried every tea tree oil shampoo under the sun, alongside everything from Head & Shoulders to T-Sal. 

I went sulfate-free. 

I've reviewed a ton of shampoos. 

I realized the other day that this same thing happened the last time I had very long hair. I asked a few friends and some of them expressed the same thing. When my hair is short, my scalp doesn't get dry; when my hair is very long, it's as if my hair steals all the oil from my scalp, leaving it dry. That probably isn't scientifically accurate, but some long hair forums I've been reading suggest the same thing. 

I keep holding out for a Holy Grail product to come along. The closest thing I've found so far is the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo. After my brief success with the Kristen Ess sulfate-free shampoo, I bought this on impulse at Target. It was sulfate-free, check; and it promised to moisturize, check. Here's what it promises: 

“This deliciously creamy and nourishing blend, infused with coconut milk, whipped egg proteins and coconut oils, helps to strengthen and hydrate your hair, leaving it softly scented, super soft and glowing.”

Upon first wash, it did help my scalp last 2 days before it got very dry and itchy. I'm going to have to give up my lofty dreams of only washing every 3 or 4 days, because I think that's the limit for my poor scalp! Here's the schedule I started following: 

• In the evening, I apply a mix of coconut oil & jojoba oil to my scalp, then braid my hair. 
• In the morning, wash my hair and let air dry. 
• Repeat every 2 days. 

This seems to give me the most moisture for my buck. I added the OGX Coconut Milk Conditioner as well, and that has helped my hair's health a lot. Due to my scalp getting so dry, I found myself with a lot of split ends and hair damage; my hair just wasn't getting enough moisture. 

OGX does have a Coconut Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist, which I'm very interested to try. A friend suggested applying jojoba oil to my roots every day, which I do think would help--but it makes me hair super greasy as a result. Not a great look for going to work or running errands, honestly. I do think on my next trip to Target, I need to grab this just to see if it helps! 

So, what's my final verdict on the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo? It's not really the Holy Grail that I'm looking for (I'm still searching), but it's definitely improved my scalp enough that I don't feel quite so down about it! There is nothing worse than having a problem you just can't find a solution for (besides cutting off all my hair). If you're struggling with dry skin on your scalp, definitely give this shampoo a try. 

My Top 5 Affordable Beauty & Skincare Items

You guys know I love saving money. I'm not typically a spender; buying anything more than $30 requires me to spend at least a week thinking about it. Whenever I feel like I own too much stuff, I end up going on a huge purge where I get rid of what feels like half of everything I own. 

I wanted to share, alongside my tips for saving money, my favorite affordable products. These are the products that give me the most bang for my buck--something that is very important to me. 

1. Wet'n'Wild MegaCushion Foundation, $8.99

I posted about this foundation in my May empties post--I said then that it lasted me about 8+ weeks. Well, as the weather has gotten warmer, I've stopped wearing my super high coverage foundations. Instead, I've been wearing this one every day and I'm definitely going to need a new one by July. It's that good. I love how it looks on my skin so much! And for $8.99 (and often on sale at Walgreens), it's not going to break the bank! I use the shade Light Ivory (#106A) and it feels like a really close match to my skin tone. 

2. ColourPop Lippie Stix, $5.50

I received my first Lippie Stix (Stick?) in my very first ipsy bag, in the shade Glam Bag. At the time, I said I didn't think it was a very seasonally appropriate color and I stand by that assessment. However, now that it is actually, officially summer... I've been wearing this a ton. I told Danny that I planned to order a bunch of Lippie Stix for fall; he asked me how much they were. I said, "$5.50." He said, "go nuts then." Very few lipsticks have the same staying power, with velvety smooth feel, like the Lippie Stix. 

3. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, $11 (for 2)

Listen, I love that sponge I got in my May Ipsy bag, but at $17.50, it's not... quite worth it. Real Techniques sponges are $11 for 2 on the official Real Techniques website--but if you cruise your local Marshall's or TJ Maxx, they almost always have them for $3.99. 

4. ColourPop Super Shock Blush, $8 

I'm kind of a sucker for blush, which can be an expensive habit. Especially because the amount of blush the average person uses day to day is so small... there is no way I will be able to use all the blushes I own in the next year. Or two years. Or three years. But let me say, my favorite blushes are the ColourPop Super Shock blushes, which are only $8 a pop. I've mentioned before that I prefer purple-toned blushes, as it's the color most of us are more likely to flush (instead of peachy or straight pink). My favorite blush from ColourPop is the color Rain, which is a cool-toned lavender. 

5. bliss lemon & sage refreshing body wipes, $8

You know those times where you find yourself kind of sweaty and gross? For me, it's always when I'm out with Forrest; I've had to carry him across the parking lot and it's 80 degrees, he's swinging his feet, sweat is dripping down my back. Once we're all loaded up and in the car, I feel like a mess. I recently bought a pack of these bliss lemon & sage body wipes, which include deodorant, to keep in my car for emergencies. And really, they are miracle workers for freshening up on hot or stressful days, after working out, or when you finish work and need to head to an appointment. Plus, they smell amazing. 

Beauty Review: My June 2018 Ipsy Bag

The theme of this month's Ipsy was, of course, Pride. As someone who doesn't identify on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum (aside from being an ally), this made me excited, as I was hopeful to see those who are infrequently featured in major beauty campaigns highlighted. 

If you frequent any beauty groups, like those on Reddit or Facebook, you probably saw that Ipsy had a pretty severe stumble with their Pride video. The first speaker in the video made a point to emphasize that she identified as an "authentic cis woman," as opposed to a trans woman. This made a lot of people mad. Ipsy finally apologized (you can read their apology here) and removed the video. This made me unsure of how to move forward as an Ipsy subscriber: I don't want to contribute to a brand that puts that kind of voice forward in a video on Pride month, but I felt their apology was heartfelt--but the apology is not one for me to say is good enough. It's not an apology to me. Those in the LGBTQIA+ community seem satisfied with Ipsy admitting they were wrong. We just have to see if things really change though. 

I didn't want to start this review without mentioning that controversy. I want you to know that I saw it, I understand the issue with it, and I stand with the LGBTQIA+ community regarding how hurtful statements like that (intentional or not) can be. I had told myself I would keep Ipsy for a year (it was a gift to myself), so if after September, I don't feel they've made steps towards improving, I will be cancelling. (I already prepaid 12 months!)

With that said, let's jump in to the products I received this month.  

(As always, you can read my past Ipsy bag reviews here. And you can use my Ipsy referral code to sign up here.) 

1. Biobelle #UnicornGlow Perfect Radiance Facial Mask, $4.99 per mask

I received 2 of these masks (giving this item a $9.98 value). Here's what this mask promises: 

“In just 15 minutes, our delicious antioxidant-rich chocolate and mulberry act together to help visibly brighten and treat uneven skin tone while honey hydrates and softens skin, giving you a perfect complexion!”

The mask does smell slightly like cocoa, but that's about it. I expected a bit... more, in terms of scent from this mask, with the promise of Chocolate, Mulberry & Honey. But at least it wasn't overpowering, I suppose! I did enjoy this mask: it wasn't too goopy or wet, the mask fits well, and it had a lot of extra serum (which as you know, I save!) I previously received other Biobelle masks in my February bag. What's funny is that these masks make no promises in regards to what they do; the ingredients listed on the front are all foods, but besides cocoa butter or oil, I can't figure out what... is actually in them. 

2. Pixi by Petra Glow Tonic, $4

This is one thing in my bag that made me a little disappointed the moment I saw it. Many people swear by Glow Tonic--and I just can't get into it! I don't know if my skin is impervious, but it honestly doesn't ever feel like I've put anything on my face besides water. I used an entire $20 bottle of this stuff and it did nothing. I'm going to give it this one last shot, but... you all know I hate wasting money! I'll update you in my June empties if this worked. 

3. Beaute Basics Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe, $14.99

I oddly cannot find this single eyeshadow on Beaute Basics' website (they only have like 6 products listed on their website, which doesn't seem sketchy at all, you know). But the other single eyeshadows clock in at $14.99. I had to lie down as I read that. That's insanity. It is a big pan of eyeshadow, but... the quality? I've also received this color at least 3 times previously from Ipsy. I'm pretty close to saying no more eyeshadows, except a few months ago, some people got an entire eye palette in their bags! I don't wanna play myself, y'all! But I've got taupe eyeshadow coming out my eyeballs. 

4. Luxie Beauty 245 Small Shader Eye Brush, $12

You can never have too many eyeshadow brushes and I was so excited to get this one! I have a larger shader brush that I use, but sometimes I need something that lets me get a little more definition to pack on eyeshadow. Luxie brushes are some of my favorites, as well, as they're so pretty and pink! 

From left to right: NYX Cosmetics Powder Puff in Puppy Love, Wet'n'Wild Cushion Soft Matte Lip Cream in Melon Like It Is, and Doucce Luscious Lip Stain in Passion Peach

5. Doucce Luscious Lip Stain in Passion Peach, $28

I'm not entirely sure why this is called a "luscious lip stain," as it is a liquid lip. It dries down to a powdery finish similar to the NYX Cosmetics Powder Puff Lippies and the Wet'n'Wild Cushion Soft Matte Lip Creams. Actually, the color I received is very similar to the color I have in both these lipsticks; I included a swatch of just Passion Peach. It's a bright, bright coral with a mainly orange undertone. In the multi-swatch photo, from left to right is NYX Powder Puff in Puppy Love, Wet'n'Wild Cushion in Melon Like It Is, and then Passion Peach. As you can see, the NYX shade is slightly more pink, whereas the Wet'n'Wild color is almost identical to Passion Peach. It is quite a pretty shade, is very long lasting, and feels nice on the lips; it does go on quite streaky, so it takes some finessing. Is it worth $28, however? Already owning two nearly identical dupes, I can say that I prefer the Wet'n'Wild Cushion as it is really soft, lovely, and wearable... while only being $3.

Final Thoughts

The full value of this bag is $68.97. That's pretty average for my Ipsy bags. I love almost everything in this bag (even though I feel there are better dupes out there for some things), except the taupe eyeshadow and perhaps the Pixi Glow Tonic (though I'm holding out hope that something miraculous happens). If you'd like to try Ipsy, use my referral code here.