⇥ AT A GLANCE ⇤
I've been on the waitlist for forever and finally got my bag this month. The theme this month is Street Style. Inside, I received 5 products in my bag: Avon Big & Daring Mascara, Be a Bombshell Smooth Criminal Powder, Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss, Mitchell & Peach Luxury Hand Cream, and a Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish.⇥ THE BREAKDOWN ⇤
- Avon Big & Daring Mascara -- This gel-creme formula mascara promises to deliver 5x the volume without smudging, flakes, and clumps for 24 hours.The curved brush is designed to comb and capture every lash while filling in the gaps. If that wasn't enough, it also claims to be water resistant. This mascara retails for $9USD for 0.338 fl oz ($26.63 USD for 1 oz). Full Sized Product
- Be a Bombshell Smooth Criminal Powder -- This 100% silica powder helps to minimize pores and fines lines for a flawless finish. I'm not sure if this is a full sized product or not but this comes with 4g/0.141096 oz of product for $12 USD, assuming that it is full sized ($85.05 USD for 1 oz).
- Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss -- With a variety of 12 stunning shades to choose from, this silky smooth gloss has the color impact of a lip stain with the high shine finish of a gloss. I have mine in shade 09 Basic Instinct, a milky peach nude. This lipstick contains 0.14 oz for $19 USD ($135.71 USD for 1 oz). Full sized product
- Mitchell & Peach Luxury Hand Cream -- Formulated with plants grown on the Mitchell estate in Kent, England, this hand cream contains Vitamin E, shea butter and English honey to nourish, soften, and protect the skin. This hand cream will set you back £17 or $27.66 USD for 60ml/2.03 oz ($13.63 USD for 1 oz). The one in the pouch has 30ml/1.01 oz. Deluxe sized product.
- Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish -- Available in 25 shades, this nail polish is formulated without parabens, phthalates (dibutyl phthalate), toluene, xylene, camphor, formaldehyde, resin, and animals. It also includes a custom wide 100% vegan brush for easier application. I received mine in shade Red Red Wine. Each bottle contains 13.3 mL/ .45 fl oz for $9 USD ($20 USD for 1 oz). Full sized product.
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| Comparison of the brushes |
⇥ THE GOOD ⇤
First Impressions-wise, I really like the Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss. The color isn't something I would have picked for myself but the Basic Instinct works really well for me, surprisingly. The peachy nude lip has been something I've been looking for as it looks really good for more natural coral looks but most of them wash me out. As I've mentioned plenty of times before, lip gloss is not my favorite kind of lip product but this one isn't sticky, has decent staying power until I ate. For dry, peeling lips, this does a great job of disguising that, making my lips look poutier and smoother than they really are. Since it is a gloss, it doesn't emphasize lip lines. The way this way advertised as a lip stain/lip gloss thing confused me a bit but it definitely does not stain the lips. I think it would be more accurate to say that it's more of a lightweight liquid lipstick. It didn't feather out of my lip lines or settle in my lip lines either. The applicator is like a flat platypus tail. I prefer the pointed doe-foot wand for precise application but I didn't have a hard time getting crisp lines with this applicator. I think it does a great job of applying just enough lip gloss. The only con would be the vinyl/plastic scent but it doesn't become noticeable unless I smell the applicator or the tube directly. Definitely a hit for me and would be interested in getting more colors if they weren't so expensive.
Oxblood is a fall must-have nail polish color and so I'm very glad to have it. The Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish in Red Red Wine is quite a rarity in the nail polish industry as it is 7 free. In the photo above, I compared the brush to several popular nail polish brands. I found that the brush is comparable in size to China Glaze and Essie, but smaller than the Sally Hansen and OPI. Formula-wise, the consistency and ease of application is quite similar to OPI and China Glaze. The formula is smooth and opaque in one coat, as seen in the photo above. I would do a second coat to deepen the color but it's fine as is. I love how glossy it is. Can't speak on longevity just yet, but will update soon.
For my mascaras, I expect them to hold a curl, lengthen and separate my lashes. I don't look for volume because I have short and stubby lashes so there's not much I can do. The Avon BIG & Daring Volume Mascara did a great job separating my lashes and an okay job of lengthening. It held the curl modestly well--I could see my outer lashes drooping slightly. However, there wasn't much going on in terms of volume--it might be that my lashes are a lost cause or that I didn't layer enough to give a truly volumized look. Either way, it stayed on my lashes without flaking off or running down my face. It did smudge just a teeny bit on the outer corner of my eyes but my eyes were so watery today from yawning every five minutes AND I even napped with it on. The formula is on the wet side, which I never cared for before but it works. The brush is quite large compared to my favorite Lancome mascara and the Covergirl Clump Crusher; I ended up hitting my top lid quite often so I had to wear eyeliner to disguise those marks. Removal process is a pain in the rear--usually, my Neutrogena takes care of everything but I had to rub quite a bit to get it off. Despite my little gripes, this is one of the best drugstore-priced mascaras I've had the pleasure to use and would consider purchasing in the unlikely future when I run out of mascaras...
⇥ THE BAD ⇤
Right off the bat, I'm going to tell y'all that I dislike the Mitchell & Peach Luxury Hand Cream. The only luxurious thing about this hand cream is the price. I'm not sure what the scent is supposed to be as there's sweet almond oil, shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, lavender oil, rose extract, sweet violet extract, vanilla extract, ylang ylang oil, palmarosa oil, citronellol, limonene, and linalool but to me, it just smells like lemony, wet dirt. It's on the lighter side and absorbs quickly. My hand with the lotion did feel softer than the hand without lotion but if I go to was my hands, they'll go back to how they were. I wouldn't mind that as much but it's pretty expensive to have it go down the sink like that. Also, the smell is not something I can get over--the worst part is that it lingers around for a good 20 minutes after application. The scent is definitely a deal breaker for me and I'm really glad that it's just the deluxe size. Might just pass this off to my mom but I feel bad giving her such a smelly product.
The Be a Bombshell Smooth Criminal Powder isn't necessarily bad but I don't like loose powders. I mean, I do use them sometimes but for every day, it's just too messy. This is a good "dupe" of the famous MUFE HD Powder as both are made of 100% silica, and price-per-ounce-wise, you'd save $28 USD if you go for the Be a Bombshell one. I'm not going to open this one and will probably give it away or something.
⇥ THE BOTTOM LINE ⇤
This pouch's total value is approximately $62.64 USD, which is quite good considering I paid $10.90 USD for it. The pouch is cute and I do see myself using it for future travels. All the products that I did like still made up for the duds. Would I consider purchasing another bag? Yes but I think I'm going to stop my subscription because I have waaaay too many products already and having more come every month is just insane IMO. I do like that the personalized quiz really gave me products I'd be interested in trying out. The ISPY website shows all the products you could've gotten in your bag this month and I do really like my picks. I like that there are coupon codes to save money if you wanted to buy something else that you didn't get or to buy more of what you did like.
⇥ WHERE TO BUY ⇤
⇥ THE GOOD ⇤
First Impressions-wise, I really like the Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss. The color isn't something I would have picked for myself but the Basic Instinct works really well for me, surprisingly. The peachy nude lip has been something I've been looking for as it looks really good for more natural coral looks but most of them wash me out. As I've mentioned plenty of times before, lip gloss is not my favorite kind of lip product but this one isn't sticky, has decent staying power until I ate. For dry, peeling lips, this does a great job of disguising that, making my lips look poutier and smoother than they really are. Since it is a gloss, it doesn't emphasize lip lines. The way this way advertised as a lip stain/lip gloss thing confused me a bit but it definitely does not stain the lips. I think it would be more accurate to say that it's more of a lightweight liquid lipstick. It didn't feather out of my lip lines or settle in my lip lines either. The applicator is like a flat platypus tail. I prefer the pointed doe-foot wand for precise application but I didn't have a hard time getting crisp lines with this applicator. I think it does a great job of applying just enough lip gloss. The only con would be the vinyl/plastic scent but it doesn't become noticeable unless I smell the applicator or the tube directly. Definitely a hit for me and would be interested in getting more colors if they weren't so expensive.
Oxblood is a fall must-have nail polish color and so I'm very glad to have it. The Pacifica 7 Free Nail Polish in Red Red Wine is quite a rarity in the nail polish industry as it is 7 free. In the photo above, I compared the brush to several popular nail polish brands. I found that the brush is comparable in size to China Glaze and Essie, but smaller than the Sally Hansen and OPI. Formula-wise, the consistency and ease of application is quite similar to OPI and China Glaze. The formula is smooth and opaque in one coat, as seen in the photo above. I would do a second coat to deepen the color but it's fine as is. I love how glossy it is. Can't speak on longevity just yet, but will update soon.
For my mascaras, I expect them to hold a curl, lengthen and separate my lashes. I don't look for volume because I have short and stubby lashes so there's not much I can do. The Avon BIG & Daring Volume Mascara did a great job separating my lashes and an okay job of lengthening. It held the curl modestly well--I could see my outer lashes drooping slightly. However, there wasn't much going on in terms of volume--it might be that my lashes are a lost cause or that I didn't layer enough to give a truly volumized look. Either way, it stayed on my lashes without flaking off or running down my face. It did smudge just a teeny bit on the outer corner of my eyes but my eyes were so watery today from yawning every five minutes AND I even napped with it on. The formula is on the wet side, which I never cared for before but it works. The brush is quite large compared to my favorite Lancome mascara and the Covergirl Clump Crusher; I ended up hitting my top lid quite often so I had to wear eyeliner to disguise those marks. Removal process is a pain in the rear--usually, my Neutrogena takes care of everything but I had to rub quite a bit to get it off. Despite my little gripes, this is one of the best drugstore-priced mascaras I've had the pleasure to use and would consider purchasing in the unlikely future when I run out of mascaras...
⇥ THE BAD ⇤
Right off the bat, I'm going to tell y'all that I dislike the Mitchell & Peach Luxury Hand Cream. The only luxurious thing about this hand cream is the price. I'm not sure what the scent is supposed to be as there's sweet almond oil, shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter, lavender oil, rose extract, sweet violet extract, vanilla extract, ylang ylang oil, palmarosa oil, citronellol, limonene, and linalool but to me, it just smells like lemony, wet dirt. It's on the lighter side and absorbs quickly. My hand with the lotion did feel softer than the hand without lotion but if I go to was my hands, they'll go back to how they were. I wouldn't mind that as much but it's pretty expensive to have it go down the sink like that. Also, the smell is not something I can get over--the worst part is that it lingers around for a good 20 minutes after application. The scent is definitely a deal breaker for me and I'm really glad that it's just the deluxe size. Might just pass this off to my mom but I feel bad giving her such a smelly product.
The Be a Bombshell Smooth Criminal Powder isn't necessarily bad but I don't like loose powders. I mean, I do use them sometimes but for every day, it's just too messy. This is a good "dupe" of the famous MUFE HD Powder as both are made of 100% silica, and price-per-ounce-wise, you'd save $28 USD if you go for the Be a Bombshell one. I'm not going to open this one and will probably give it away or something.
⇥ THE BOTTOM LINE ⇤
This pouch's total value is approximately $62.64 USD, which is quite good considering I paid $10.90 USD for it. The pouch is cute and I do see myself using it for future travels. All the products that I did like still made up for the duds. Would I consider purchasing another bag? Yes but I think I'm going to stop my subscription because I have waaaay too many products already and having more come every month is just insane IMO. I do like that the personalized quiz really gave me products I'd be interested in trying out. The ISPY website shows all the products you could've gotten in your bag this month and I do really like my picks. I like that there are coupon codes to save money if you wanted to buy something else that you didn't get or to buy more of what you did like.
⇥ WHERE TO BUY ⇤
BE A BOMBSHELL SMOOTH CRIMINAL POWDER Buy **enter code IPSY30 for 30% any purchase + a free COCO Delight Lip Gloss. Valid until October 31, 2014.
CAILYN ART TOUCH TINTED LIP GLOSS Buy**Enter IPSYGIFT for 20% off any purchase and 2 free deluxe samples of Pure Lust Lip Tint. Valid until October 31, 3014.
MITCHELL & PEACH LUXURY HAND CREAM Buy **Enter IPSY22 for 20% any purchase. Offer valid until October 31, 2014.
PACIFICA 7 FREE NAIL POLISH Buy **Enter code FallBeauty for 20% Purchase. Offer valid until October 31, 2014. **Add a 7 Free Top Coat in Gloss or Matte + 2 or more nail polishes for 50% the second bottle using code FALLNAIL.
I hope this helps you decide if this subscription service is right for you!
Let me know what (if any) do you subscribe to!
XOXO,
MWAH ♥
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Disclosure Statement: All products mentioned were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored by any of the companies mentioned above and was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own. Links are not affiliate links and are provided for the readers' convenience. I cannot guarantee that the product(s) will work for you. I do not approve or endorse the products or information available on these sites. Proceed at your own risk.
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