Hello Shiquers and welcome back to Nerdy Shique Universe and it’s time for the second post! This post is my Ipsy and BoxyCharm! Yes! BoxyCharm is back in my paws and also my Ipsy came before it last Saturday and just got Boxy today. Let’s see what I got!

Ipsy: This month’s Ipsy is “Destination Chique!” This month’s bag is more of a clutch which has a snap! I wish the bag was like this some months because there are times where I carry way too many things and the zipper gets stuck, heck my bag had its zipper split and had to fix it. Plus, this bag came in three different colors and they were pink, purple, and blue and I got the blue one and it features monuments of the world like the Statue of Liberty, the Leaning Tower of Piza, and other places. Very very very cute! Again, should do the snap form instead of the zipper sometimes!

INSPR Eye Fluff Brush: First thing is a brush and it’s by the brand INSPR. I got an eye shadow by these guys and I loved it until the plate that covers the shadow broke off. At least Hanky Panky by Colour Pop is getting some love! This is a very fluffy brush and it is said to be a blending brush but it is a size for the crease, which I used in my crease and man it feels sooooooooooooooo soft! This was my first brush by these guys and good to try out since I love brushes and happy to get them in this subscription and BoxyCharm of course since they do send really good brushes there too. I am a major brush addict as you know. I hope to get more brushes by these guys in future bags!
Jelly Pong Pong Carribean Bronzer Duo: Well, this is a new thing to arrive in my bag. I bet you’re wondering, “You don’t use bronzers, why are you getting one and happy about it?” Well, one thing is it’s from one of my fave brands, Jelly Pong Pong. Next point is that I have been using bronzers as eye shadows and this is a bronzer duo which features bronzers that are better as shadows! It is good to try out something new especially with a brand that is good, plus a lot of people have been getting bronzers this month which makes sense for summer. I did try this out on my eyes with the peach half and man it goes on very soft! Plus it has the space big enough for your eye brush which someone did get this in their bag and prefer it as shadow too and I can see why. I do love the packaging that it has a mirror but I can’t see myself in a mirror.
Sooo Ae Coligen Mask Trio: I am trading these since I owe someone on a trade for the Elizabeth and James roller ball from February. Yes, I got my paws on it and happy about that because I love that scent and it’s the Nirvana Black btw. Anyways, this is a Korean company and a lot of people have been raving about Korean beauty products and skin care is pretty much the best thing you can get, even there’s a subscription for that called Mimi Box and it stopped shipping to Canada recently. Anyways, when I saw this in my bag I knew that I wouldn’t like this and I have tried sheet masks, remembered the one in BoxyCharm from February? Well, that was very slimey and man my skin itched! I did mention on the Ipsy Facebook board that there should be a “Sensitive” option on the “Skin Concerns” question because it is not on there it would help with choosing better skin care after getting the Smashbox Face Primer and the Pur~Lisse makeup cleanser. Plus, thinking of coligen despite it being good for you kind of flashes me back to the moment in the anime Speed Grapher where this one guy ate a lot of food and people, even tried eating the main girl’s fingers since she gives special powers to people all thanks to a tumor she has. I know, weird concept but it does make me think of that scene of the anime. So, trading these masks and glad that I finally had something to trade for what I received.
Etat Libre D’Orange Remarkable People Remarkable People Fragrance: That was a major mouthful and hard to type! I got a fragrance from said company and it’s the Remarkable People Fragrance! OMG! This smells so mazing! When I got it, I was like Peter Griffin from Family Guy singing “Ray of Light” after his first Red Bull! It is a citrusy scent that blends champagne, jasmine, grapefruit, cardamin, and sandalwood into one earthy scent! I love earthy and citrusy smells and bringing these two together is a nice harmony! I have to keep myself from using it all the time since it smells so good!
It Cosmetics No Tug Waterproof Gel Eye Liner: Final item in the bag this month is the No Tug Gel Eyeliner from It Cosmetics. As you know I did try out the CC Cream they had a year ago and my skin broke out like crazy due to the SPF. I did read they are big on anti-aging ingredients but my skin can’t handle that cream due to the SPF. I was happy that I got this in bag and it worked out great! It doesn’t tug like it said, it stayed put as well, and it’s very smooth at its application as well. You get this pencil in black and it’s a decent sample size for a pencil. These pencils will last me a long time like the Lord and Berry liner in my very first bag!

BoxyCharm: Trust me, I was happy to reactivate my account when April was over. Yes, I was sad but I think the only thing would matter of last month’s box was the Ofra lipstick. Now it’s May and glad to have it back! This month’s theme is “Boxy Spring Vibes!” When I got my box, I took a pic and it’s on Instagram, which if you’re interested on following me just go for maribluecat! Anyways, I am excited about this box the most because….

MakeUp Geek Blush: When I found about this is coming in the box I was waiting for the third to reactivate because this month MakeUp Geek is launching their blush line. I did hear they used to have a line but had to reformulate it and now going to be launching in a week. Why not launch it in the subscription that started putting its products in it? This was a “While Supplies Last” thing for any May subscriber and was lucky to be one of the many to get this and not only that it did come in may colors and so far I seen videos where they got Covet and one other shade. Plus, you get a nice compact with it instead just the pan. Hoping there will be more MakeUp Geek products in the future! If you didn’t get one, well you can get this when it launches on the website for $15!
Pure Double Ego Eyeliner: Besides Makeup Geek, Pure is also in this box with their Double Ego eyeliner which is a dual ended eyeliner! One end is a liquid pen while the other one is a retractable pencil and I got mine in Queensland which is a dep teal color. Nice to get another color in eyeliner!
Star LuxLip Pencil: Next is a lip pencil which is a BoxyCharm exclusive with the brand Star Lux. The color is called Charmed, same name as the one that Tart made for one of the boxes last year. It is pretty much a pink retractable pencil, which I accidentally broke a piece off when I opened it. I know, silly kitty! One thing I hate about retractable lip pencils is that the tip does break off easily and it happens the most to my Rimmel East End Snob one. Oh well, at least I get to try more of this brand and see how this one goes!
Ella and Mila Nail Polish: Yay! Nail polish! This is a brand I never heard of this brand and I got the shade called Pistach and it’s a minty green, which is a good color for the spring and they tend to give pretty good colors every season! I can’t wait to try this one out. I still have the LVX polish from last year in minth green. Also, another point about this brand is Phai free which is one of the harmful chemicals in nail polish.
Catherine Malandrino Perfume: Another perfume from Catherine Malandrino and I think it’s called Romance de Province. I sprayed and it smells very florally and sweet. I can’t wait to use this even to make the room smell good, which I tend to use my perfumes as air refreshners. Also, I do travel with this!
Brow Gal Clear Brow Gel: Last item, yes there was six items, is the clear brow gel by Brow Gal! This is a nice addition to go with the eyeliner and plus I do love my clear brow gels over tinted since my brows are hard to match and I don’t like the feeling of wax crayons usually. I prefer the clear ones instead! Good to try out new brow gels since the Chella one was really great and lasted me a while, which is another point why I love clear brow gels is that they last a lot longer than a brow pencil. Plus, this one is the same size as the NYX Control Freak gel I use and can’t wait to use this when that runs out since I got another tube of the NYX one recently!

Well, that is it for both! I have to say is that despite the sheet masks, both were really good! I am so happy to try out MakeUp Geek’s newer blush line due to how I started with the shadows and did always want to try them and glad to get them in Boxy! While Ipsy, I am glad to get the other items such as the bronzer duo for my eye shadow use, the brush of course for the crease, and that perfume I mentioned also smells very nice! There is one more rant I do have to put in this…

More Complaints On the Board: Yes, it seems like that there are more complaints but for individual items that get selected. I even seen this on the BoxyCharm Facebook for the MakeUp Geek blush which some people wished they could choose the color than Boxy and that is in the thoughts of doing it but some people did get a little miffed about that since we are trying something new. Goes the same with Ipsy, which a lot of people complained about getting red lipstick and the latest new complaint is how people wanted the nude shade of the Melo lipstick over the red one and someone did say they will unsubscribe if they get it and did still unsubscribe from all the responses that a lot of the Ipsters, including me, and Ipsy gave her and yet it continued.

Okay guys, I know it seems like we love joining subscriptions to get makeup, tools, and of course, hair products but the thing is that when joining these, especially ones that have a customizable quiz, go in with an open mind. I do admit I trade items I don’t want for stuff I wish I’ve gotten like for instance I’m getting the X Rated mascara from someone for a brow pencil I got for free from Ulta. There is one thing that I did point out on someone’s video as well as the complaint on the board and that is these subscriptions also include discount codes to the brand that offers the products and they should use those codes to get the color they want. Which means not all brands have one color for that product, I was tempting to get the Melo lipstick with the code, I would get it someday since it is not that much in cost. The one with the video replied to my comment saying that they would have to spend money which is an ironic thing when you already buy the bag in the first place and the lipstick alone is the value of the bag. And as said, time and time again, goin in with an open mind is important because it is a sampling service after all, even BoxyCharm is one, Birchbox is another, heck even Glossy Box is one, and you get to try out new products from different brands you’ve seen and not sure to buy from that line until you try it out, brands that are online only like MakeUp Geek and Jelly Pong Pong as examples, and newer brands that haven’t been heard of like Melo and Jersey Shore and time to time it does become a love for that brand and gives more excitement to get more items by them in future boxes.

And to repeat the idea of customization, Ipsy does the quiz thing because they want an idea of who’s subscribing and what products to choose based on the profile and they do state on there and the reviews, which the customization expands on those, “These are guidelines! We won’t guarantee what you get is based on what you marked!” That is when the idea of an open mind comes in because even though I got sheet masks and I have to be careful with my skin but I do trade my items and give them to other people and enjoy the other products I do get and everyone is happy in the end! And yes, the reviews and quizzes do work, I did retake the quiz recently to try and get mascaras back in but the past few months they were amazing. Well, the nail polish, that was a major miss. Still, the quizzes and reviews do work and you will get new items to go with everything else.

Well, that is it for this post, I know the rant was long but it will give an idea to subscribe to either one and I am glad to try new products even newer items by brands I already love! Even if I have to multipurpose one of them which I do as a cosplayer myself!

What is next? Not entirely sure, if we did press for Mega then I would’ve had a convention spotlight and so much coverage from it but nope! Sorry guys! Unless I can talk to Fox Warrior about writing a review! Let’s see what happens!