Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe! It’s time for another Ipsy Time! I also have a BoxyCharm for you guys! A heads up, even though I see a lot of box battles for box subscriptions but I won’t be doing that, I will be saying if I like one or the other and why, probably at the end. But this month’s boxes were close! Let’s see what I got!

Ipsy December 2014!

Theme: You Are a Mighty Heroine (?)

Okay, I heard different names for this month’s bag but it deals with the idea of “Thanks to You!” because of how 2014 is ending and it’s another year for Ipsy since it started back in 2011. I do enjoy the subscription despite August being an okay month and liked it the same since I wasn’t only born back then but it was my first bag of my subscription. I will continue with it even if there are some things are meh and some things that are awesome!

The Bag: The bag is a black satin bag with a keychain charm on the zipper with the Ipsy name. Some people said that they should’ve done more with the bag like with last month’s but I like it! I think it fits due to the idea of satin bows and other things for Christmas!

NYX Cosmetics: Butter Balm in Red Velvet! The first item I got was something I already use and that is the NYX butter balm line and glad they sent subscribers this since it is winter and lips do get chapped like no other, it is a good time to send Ipsters this and it does have a light color to it on top of it! I am glad that they sent me Red Velvet in this because I almost bought Red Velvet while looking through the section at Ulta near me and didn’t since I got Marshmallow and another one. Some people complained about how some of the nudes are not as great and that is because this is a very lightweight lip tint and they do provide moisture. I do recommend this product a lot and glad to get this one!

Tart: Lights Camera Lashes Deluxe Mascara! Another product that everyone received is the deluxe size of the Tart Lights Camera Lashes mascara! I always heard about this mascara all over the place on YouTube and never been curious until I found out that Ipsy was giving this sample to everyone I squeed very loud in my dorm room at the time! I am glad to get this because I know I can pick this size up at Ulta for half the price of the full size and not worry about it and also try it out if I like it if I want to get this size or the full size on a purchase whim! I will be getting another since I’m trading one of my items from BoxyCharm, which I will be mentioning later.

Pixie by Petra: Pixie Dust! An item that I am not too happy about and that is the Pixie Dust by Pixie! I heard of Pixie and almost got something from them in Target, if I got that brand correct. Anyways, this is an item that came this month and it is their Pixie Dust and not too happy about it because I think it dried up. I know it is susuppos to be a top coat for shadow but no glitter came out on the applicator or the little vial part! I even had Gondras see if anything was swatched and nothing! I did contact Ipsy for a replacement.

Beauty Without Cruelty: Facial Wash for Normal to Oily Skin! Another product that was not to my satisfaction and that is the BWC facial wash for normal to oily skin and you know me, Mari Blue Cat has sensitive skin! I wish there were items that came for my skin type in this service and glad I gave this to my mom since I didn’t want to put it to the test when my Stridex pads are Aloe ones but for my skin type. Sorry BWC, you were sent to someone special this holiday!

Crown: Infinity Eye and Crease Brush! An item I noticed that was put in Ipsy before and it is by the company called Crown Brush and glad to get this so I can see what people raved about! It is a small brush and it has a good size set of bristles for my eyes and glad to know that this can fit for my shadow application! It is also great timing since I notice the double ended brush I own is a bit wobbly on one end and it is the side I normally use the lid color on. This is a nice addition to my brush collection!

That is my Ipsy bag. It is okay this month, not too bad of a selection and I do like the bag! It is also pretty deep of one! Nice for travel! And if you’re wondering, it is $10 a month and you get 4-5 samples, full to deluxe and it tends to be pretty good brands from drugstore to highend and even ones you haven’t heard of before. If you’re interested in signing up, here is my referrel link to check out:  link anywhere

http://www.ipsy.com/r/kur3?sid=ipsypoint

BoxyCharm

Now onto BoxyCharm! This is a subscription I kept on hearing throughout YouTube, Eleventh Gorgeous even has it and also Danielle LaPook has it and like a curious kitty, I decided to take a look and sign up! I got my first box this past Thursday, which was funny to see it since my tracking said Friday and got it when I came home for Holiday Break! This subscription is ten bucks more and if you live in Florida like I do, you get some tax added but shipping is free. What did I get?

Lina Lashes: Mink Lashes! This is the item I’m trading for another Tart Lights Camera Lashes for since I don’t wear lashes! I will tell you why! If You seen my pics with any of the guests I interviewed at Omni and Metro or seen my interview videos, especially with me as Lucy during my John Swasey interview, those are my actual lashes, even with the Miss Manga mascara as Lucy! My lashes are naturally long and I apply mascara to them and they become like doll lashes when they curl! Even with the CK One and Be a Bombshell ones they look nice! So, I don’t wear lashes! These things are made with mink hair, which they get from minks without harm to any of them, I guess they brush the hairs off or wait for them to shed to gather the hairs. I did feel the lashes to see how soft they were and they are as soft as a mink comforter I had a few years back. I think I have it in my attic somewhere but these things are soft like my Kiki’s Delivery Service throw blanket too! I know the person that is swapping for these will love them and she can use them more than once! They are normally $30 retail, I don’t want them to go to waste!

Thirsty for Hair Syrum! I think this is an item by a company called NLA or something like that, I think it was New York Hair or something….anyways, this is a hair syrum which I am glad to get and just in time too! I got highlights in my hair a weekend ago before the break at a beauty academy that students get taken to once a month! My hair is fine and got a bit fried, so glad this came in my box instead of the shampoo since my hair needs the added moisture! This is an interesting product because it can cost between $7 to $12 depending on the size. I may have to get this since I tend to use a lot of things for frizz and now a bit of added damage!

Be a Bombshell: Lip Stain/Lip Stick! I tried Be a Bombshell before and of course it was through their mascara and I love it! When I heard they were giving Charmers some lip products, I was happy! I am glad that I get to try this brand through subscriptions and glad to get this lip item. It looks like a lip gloss but it feels like one of those liquid lipsticks and I like how it feels. It doesn’t feel really sticky like most of the ones I tried from Wet N Wild, well it was the only company I did get one from, but it did go on smooth as the HD Lip Laquer from Rimmel I still have! Can’t wait to review this when they put up the December brands on the shop tab.

Travel Blush Brush! I am glad to get this in BoxyCharm as well and that is a travel, full size brush from another brand I don’t know the name of but this will come in handy! Great thing is that this is very compact and it is like a lip brush I own which the brush head gets raised but instead of pushing it up from one end, there is a dial and you twist it up! I hope to use this for my mini blushes, like the Coastal Sense duo I own still from Ipsty and the small blush sample I got through the Ulta beauty bag.

Coastal Sense: Revealed Eye Shadow Pallet! Another item that I was excited about and that is the Coastal Sense Revealed pallet! This is also full sized and when I heard through videos about this I was super excited since I never received full pallets like this. I did trade for a full size of a Micah Beauty eye shadow and did receive a full size of the Star Looks Gem Pencil through Ipsy but this is a major bonus! This comes with twenty eye shadows and they are nude colors. They are matte and I did hear shimmer ones too and it is another good way of getting into Coastal Sense. This was another reason why I got into BoxyCharm is because of sull size products of some of the brands and did hear that Eleventh Gorgeous, I think one of the girls or both, got one of the Coastal Sense pallets full size as well. I think it was the same month for the full size of the Harvey Prince Hello! Anyways, I am so glad to try this out since I do love the blush duo and gives me an idea of what else Coastal Sense has to offer!

My Thoughts: Out of the things I got this month between the two, I would have to say it was a Hit or Miss with Ipsy this month because of how the Pixie Dust was dried out and can’t get any glitter out. I did give my mom the facial wash and do love how I got the Red Velvet butter balm and the Tart mascara, all in all, it was Hit and then a Miss! While BoxyCharm did give me a bit of a miss with the lashes because my lashes are natural and I don’t wear any fake ones. Need to ask, why do most of make up gurus and lovers have to wear fake ones? Just comment below. Anyways, I am glad to find someone through Ipsy to trade with and do love the shadow pallet since I get to try more Coastal Sense, the lip product from Be a Bombshell, the hair syrum, and brush. Also glad that I got a new eye brush from Ipsy! So yeah, can’t say who I liked more, they were both equal in my book! I can’t wait what 2015 has to offer for Ipsy and BoxyCharm!

Well, that’s it! Next time I will be bringing a haul from City Color Cosmetics! Stay Tuned!