Subscription Satelite Round Up: May & June 2020

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! I am back with another post!

Subscription Round Up: May & June 2020

Another two months passed for subscriptions and things have gotten more interesting for them! Let’s see what I thought of each one for each month!

BoxyCharm: May’s box saw items I would be using as backups except I only used the Appeal lipstick and the Studio Makeup pallet. The Appeal lipstick was really nice. It was not too drying since most lipsticks in liquid form are drying and too uncomfortable but this felt good on my lips. The eye shadow pallet I packed it on pretty well because I saw Jen Luv’s Reviews get this in her box and she had a hard time to get this pallet to show up since it had more subtle ways when it comes to the shadows. I did pack on hard since this did feel soft and did have it show up on my lids. It did have the smell of the Tarte pallets I’ve bought in the past since it had a vanilla smell. It’s not too bad but wished I got a different pallet. While the other items are back up items when I’m done with my First Aid Facial Radiance Pads, the Micellar Water I’ve been using, and any of the shadow bases I have backups of.
June’s box was an okay box because I felt they threw stuff together and sent it off. I did choose the Lily Lashes mascara and that was really good for what I have chosen and can see why their lash products are really good. The Purlisse CC Cream is too dark for me because I saw that they do have a Light Medium and wishing that they matched me with my actual shade not one that I would self-tan to. I haven’t used the CAB lip duo as of yet since I do have my Ipsy bag filled to the brim with lip products already but will use it in time. I’m glad for the Smashbox spray since I am doing a video on that brand down the road and that ticked off one items I needed and the Kiley Skin cleanser will be up next after I run out of my current cleanser.

Ipsy: Ipsy has been getting good products for their Glam Bags and it is sometimes hard to choose though. With the May Bag I only used four out of the five which happened to be the brush, the Nails Inc. Polish, the Hand of Will lotion, and the Tart Lip Jelly. I had to toss the Way of Will lotion because it was so hard to squeeze out of the bottle they sent me. I don’t know why they didn’t send me the tube rather than bottle or made an easier to squeeze bottle. The brush from SL Miss Glam is amazing as always and good for blending the lid shades on or after you put on shadows and blend them together. The nail polish stayed on very well. I thought my index finger on my right hand was going to chip first like always but all thanks to smoothing my nails out before I do anything it kept my polish on even while being in the hospital when they put on the vital clip on my finger. The Tarte Lip Jelly did go first due to how tiny the tube was. I wished Tarte put it in a pot so it would last a month and give us more to review about but it did feel good my lips and kept them moist.
The June Bag did have a good balance with my GB Plus because it did have more skin care while the GB Plus had more makeup to it. I was able to use the Dewy Tree cleanser and the Sur.Medic Soothing Cream up and pretty fast too since they were pretty small since they are samples. The Dewy Tree Cleanser I had to use it in the shower rather than the sink because my sink somehow doesn’t produce hot water like it used to but my shower does and it did a slight foaming effect but I prefer the action with my Tony Moley Cleanser. The Soothing Cream was used before my serum each night and it felt pretty well as in it did cool my skin before I put my serum on. Not sure if I will buy the full size I will see about that. I did use the First Aid Beauty primer sample which did keep my makeup on during the day. It tingled on my skin slightly but didn’t cause any adverse effects as I wore it which is a good thing. I have been enjoying the lip crayon from Sugar Cosmetics though! I haven’t really used the brush since I have so many of them in my brush pouch on my vanity. I will use it at some point! Good bags the past two months!

Glam Bag Plus: Finally is the Glam Bag Plus! These two months were also really good because May was all about makeup while June had some skin care items with some makeup mixed in. May had hard choices with the items on Choice Day but landed on the Nomad Cosmetics Sydney Bathers Pallet that features two bronzers and two highlighters and man this was really good! I did make a video but hoping it will be up soon since it needs to be edited. I almost chose the Colored Rain Vineyard Soiree pallet and the M. O. T. D. Brush Set which I still got in my box. I also enjoyed the Sugar Rush liquid lipstick and the Beauty For Real mascara. This was a really good box and the products were selected very well.
Like I mentioned with the original Glam Bag, this did balance with that one since I got another primer but it was from Dr. Brandt and it’s perfect for my dry skin since it deals with being luminous. I also got a blending sponge from Huda Beauty which I have added that to my brush pouch. I also chose the Laura Gela Central Park pallet since it sounded like I would go for and will use soon. I finally was happy to get an eyeliner that was a different shade since I remembered how Ipsy used to get liners in different colors and they should continue with that. And of course, I did get another Purlisse product which is their Cleansing Milk which I have to keep on using to see how much it works in removing my makeup.

Victor: Ipsy! Reason being is that they have been getting products that are really good and have been fitting my profile a lot better than BoxyCharm has been doing lately. I know what you’re thinking, “Why are you still subscribed to BoxyCharm?” There are some products I do enjoy and I do get luxury items in it without paying the luxury price and I can try them to see if I can find a dupe for them like how the ELEMIS Facial Pads have been duped for the First Aid Beauty ones so far. When I look at the items I got these past two months from Ipsy and the GB Plus I feel like they have done a good job with my profile and can’t wait to see what July brings. With Boxy, I say step it up with the profile attention because with the Purlisse CC Cream they didn’t match properly.

That is it for this post! I can’t wait to see what July holds for these boxes and hoping that July picks up with BoxyCharm! I will try to get my book review up next!

Subscription Satelite: Ipsy Glam Bag Plus June 2020

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe. I am back with another subscription!

Ipsy Glam Bag Plus June 2020!

Finally my GB Plus arrived! I am not sure why it always gets delayed like this but glad I got this in time for Ipsy Choice! This bag is the second tier where you pay $25 a month and you get more full size items from more prestige and luxury brands also even more independent brands in skin care, lifestyle, and makeup. Plus you still get a bag in this which is slightly bigger or smaller than the Glam Bag. Anyways, I did get some pretty sweet items this month since it does balance with what I got in my Glam Bag. Let’s see what I got!

Huda Beauty Basic B Sponge
Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer
Araceli Beauty Ojos Perfectos Eyeliner

Huda Beauty Basic B Sponge: First up is an item from Huda Beauty and it’s something I didn’t know they had and that is a blending sponge! When I got it I thought it was from Juno & Co. since the sponge looks similar but the butt is rounder than flat like the Juno sponge. This sponge lets you have streak free application where the flat side can be used to tap foundation and CC Cream all over while the smaller side is used for concealer. This sponge retails for $17.
Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer: Next up is a product from Dr. Brandt and this time it’s the Pores No More Luminizer Primer. I remembered trying a mask from these guys and glad to try another item from these guys. This primer helps skin defuse pores and help them become minimized with tea tree oil and lentil seed extract to create a perfect canvas. Can’t wait to see how this works since I’m still using my E. L. F. Pore Putty and now using the sample of the First Aid Beauty primer I got in my Glam Bag. This item retails for $38.
Araceli Beauty Ojos Perfectos Eyeliner in Coffee: Finally an eyeliner that is not the color black! I love black eyeliners but getting them all the time was getting boring and glad to get this as a change. This is a pen liner that is supposed to be long lasting and can create major wings with. I hope to get more colored liners like this because that was a breath of fresh air. This retails for $16.
Purlisse Blue Lotus 4~in~1 Cleansing Milk: Next up is another item from Purlisse and that is their 4~in~1 Cleansing Milk. I think I remembered trying a similar one from these guys back in January 2015 and man that was really gentle! This is a sulfate and soap free multi-tasking cleanser that cleanses, tones skin, removes make up, and soothes the skin all at once. This uses soy milk, soy protein, and white tea in this formula to help people with dry and sensitive skin. I really want to use this! Screw what I’ve been doing to clean my makeup right now because this sounds really good right now. (Sponge Bob Voice) Five Minutes Later! I am back! Okay, I tried this and I felt I had to still use the cleansing water to help get any remnants off since I felt some of the mascara primer on my lashes and I did feel clean afterward. I have to keep using this to see how it goes since I still felt slightly dry but skin care does take time to work not just in one day. This product retails for $36.
Laura Gellar Urban Garden Pallet in Central Park: Final item is my choice item for June. The only thing I tried from this brand was their Whipped Gelato highlighters and this is a first to try more of their items. This product is inspired by the hidden gardens of New York and it features a blush, a bronze highlighter and four neutral shadows, three mattes and one shimmer. This pallet has their items made with Vitamin E and grape seed oil to nourish the skin. I can’t wait to use this pallet since it is a good all-in-one pallet and would be nice to travel with. This retails for $14.

Add-On: Hanalei Sheet Mask Duo: Now onto the add-ons or shall I say the only add-on I purchased this month. I saw these among the add-ons and decided why not try more items from Hanalei and it’s their Face Sheet Mask Duo. This set has masks that are made with Hawaiian Noni Fruit Extract that helps skin become its full and plump self and also uses pineapple extracts. It even helps with dark spots you may have. I tried one and man it felt so good! My skin did feel really hydrated afterwards since the serum was also cooling after spreading it. I do have one more and will save it since I have enjoyed one mask so far. I wished they put their value though.

Well that is it for this post guys! I am really happy for this month’s box! Yes, it sucked that it took a bit to get to me but what can you do since it is still the quarantine and some areas are not all the way opened yet and some mail services are still feeling it. I have to keep using the Cleansing Milk since I did have to use my cleansing water to get any residue off my lashes or my face and so on. I can’t wait to use the shadow pallet and the primer since those got me really excited about the box. I know I will be loving the sponge once I start using it. I did make my choice for July’s box and can’t wait to see what else they choose for me since there were really good items but the one I got is something I was meaning to try so stay tuned for July! Next will be my May & June Box Round Up since I have tried most of the items and will let you know what I think! Until next time!

Purlisse Blue Lotus 4~in~1 Cleansing Milk
Note: Can’t really find a link for the Laura Gellar pallet! I think it was discontinued on Laura Gellar’s site.

Subscription Satelite: Ipsy Glam Bag June 2020

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe! I am back with another subscription post!

Ipsy Glam Bag June 2020

It’s time for Ipsy since it arrived today to my mailbox. It was supposed to be here Saturday but it got delayed. What else is new? Anyways, this month’s bag is interesting but it does balance out with my GB Plus which I am waiting for that to come in since I got really good products in that one but let’s see what I got here first. I did forget to mention in my Boxy post the price of that box but if you go back to my past posts on that you would find the price of the base box that way. This bag is $12 a month and you get sample to deluxe size and sometimes full size items from brands you may have not heard and want to try or may have heard and want to try new products by them. It’s a good way of experimenting especially with their bundles in Ipsy Offers.

Dewy Tree the Clean Lab AC Dew Foam: First up is from a brand I never heard of and that is the Dewy Tree. It’s a K Beauty brand that uses the innate healing to enhance the effects of the natural ingredients in their products which is interesting since the body does heal itself and good that we can use that with these products. Let’s see what this product claims to be. This item has a PH balance of 6.6 which is non-irritating and it will hydrate the skin and clean since it’s a cleanser that is very gentle on the skin for sensitive skin types to use. The addition of Japanese Umbrella Pine Extract and the its anti-microbial properties help get rid of any bacteria that may cause acne and the lather will happen on contact with skin without any harsh rubbing. I have to try this out since this is an interesting product to me. I never heard of Japanese Umbrella Pine before either. Apparently the Umbrella Pine is an expensive and rare conifer tree that grows slowly over time and apparently it’s small too. Also, it’s a sacred tree it is associated with Buddhism in Kyoto. My question is how did this brand get the extract though? Sounds interesting though but can’t wait to see how this works on my sensitive skin and I do feel my pores around my nose kind of clogged since it’s taking me a bit of time to get back into my skin care routine after being injured and now have my scar under my eye. Not kidding, you may see it in future videos and pictures of me.
Sur.Medic Azulene Soothing Cream: Another new brand I never heard of before is known as Sur.Medic. This brand is more of a First Aid type brand that uses solutions that are effective, easy, and accessible. This product has Sica that helps with itchiness and irritation in the skin. Also Azulene is used to help with the protective barrier of the skin to keep hydration in and bad things out. I will definitely try this out since I am getting back into my skin care routine again and it felt good starting it up again due to how bad it was clogging up near my nose. So, will have to see how this goes!
First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Pores Be Gone Matte Primer: Why does this brand have to have a mouthful with their products? Oh well! A new item from First Aid Beauty and it’s a face primer. This is a multi-tasking and oil free primer that helps with keeping makeup on even during sweat. This helps face products that are layered on the skin to be long-lasting and it also helps with skin concerns by smoothing them out. I don’t have oily skin but I am willing to try this out since First Aid Beauty is known for being sensitive skin friendly. I have been using the Facial Radiance Pads by them and it has been helping. I will have to try this out during my Facebook live stream then. Let’s see what happens!
Eddie Funkhouser Dome Blending Brush: I heard of this brand but never got any of the items in my bag until now and that is a domed blending brush. This brand was created by Eddie Funkhouser who is a veteran makeup artist, spokesperson, and an expert product developer which I can see why he created his brand. This is a brush that contains synthetic bristles that can be used with powder and cream products. When I got this I saw that it’s perfect for the creases in my eyes due to how small it is and it’s very lightweight too. I will definitely be enjoying this brush!
Sugar Cosmetics Matte as Hell Lip Crayon in Scarlet O Hara: Final item is my Choice Item for this month and it’s from Sugar Cosmetics! This was offered with other colors but I chose this one. This is a full coverage and highly pigmented lip crayon that doesn’t crease nor dehydrate the lips and stays fresh from morning coffee to evening. I have enjoyed products from this brand since I did get the Purple Rain eyeliner pencil when I got back to Ipsy and loved it and used it all up so now glad to try a lip product by this brand and can’t wait to wear it!

That is it for this bag! I found this bag pretty well balanced especially with what I will be getting in GB Plus. It is close to summer and a lot of people do tend to wear more skin care products since the harsh rays of the sun tends to cause some damage and we need to protect it. Especially here on the coast where we do have a lot of beach lovers and the sun can be really harsh! I’m glad to try two new skin care brands alongside a new item from First Aid Beauty and Sugar Cosmetics and finally getting to check out Eddie Funkhouser as well. Can’t wait to see what July brings for the bag since it is Independence Day and it gets ten times hotter here in Florida during July than June to tell you the truth. Stay tuned for my GB Plus because it’s supposed to be on its way but it hasn’t budged much and I did sign up for tracking updates to be emailed to me because I did order a Purlisse duo last month but never arrived and don’t know what had happened which I did contact DHL about it and nothing has come up yet which I will update you guys about that. Until next time!

Dewy Tree Lave Dewy Foam Cleanser
Sur.Medic Azulene Soothing Cream
First Aid Beauty Hello Fab Pores Be Gone Matte Primer
Eddie Funkhouser Domed Blending Brush
Sugar Cosmetics Matte As Hell Lip Crayon

Subscription Satelite: BoxyCharm June 2020

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast universe! It’s time for my first box subscription of the month!

BoxyCharm June 2020

Disclaimer: This post contains reviews and thoughts on the products of the writer. Please respect her thoughts on each item.

Well guys BoxyCharm arrived this morning. I bet you’re wondering how? Well, yesterday it was supposed to be delivered but around one in the afternoon there was a delivery exception in Sanford and they had to inspect my box at the FedEx facility it was at. Oh yeah, I even felt where it was slashed open by them which is on the right side of the box and saw one of my items opened too! What the heck? I know which one it was too and will get to that in a bit! This box was okay and I thought my card was last month’s card but I accidentally had it in the scanner, I sent Boxy an email before checking and had a major faux pas in my corner, whoops! At least I have the right card with the right items. Let’s see what I got!

Kiley Skin Foaming Face Wash: First up is from Kiley Jenner’s skin care line and it’s her Foaming Face Wash. This product is a luxurious face wash that is gentle for the skin and contains kiwi seed and Vitamin C to help with moisture and helps clean out dirt and makeup. I remembered there was a bit of controversy about this line that she had released where she made advertisements showing her using the items but not really using them. I’m sorry but that’s false advertising and even other brands and their commercial people did the same thing even the kid that played Eleven on Stranger Things apologized for doing the same thing with her products which I was happy she did that. To me as someone who has tried so many products and if I were to advertise for Kiley Skin I would do a video of me using this to clean my makeup at night since that is when I do that even I use these face washes in the shower to keep my face clean to give my skin care time to get in when I finish brushing my teeth. Anyways now to the formulation. I am worried about my sensitive skin reacting because I remembered Shane Dawson and Jeffree Starr did a video trying Kiley Skin products and Shane got reactions from it due to his sensitive skin and I concluded it’s not sensitive skin friendly but if this says it’s gentle then I would give it a chance. I may try this in between my Tony Moley tubes since I did purchase another tube of their Peach Juice Foaming Face Wash and will come back to let you know in a future review since my face washes last me a long time. This item retails for $24.
Purlisse Perfect Glow BB Cream SPF 30: First Purlisse product to get in this box and that is their BB Cream with SPF 30 and I got the shade Medium Tan. I am happy to get this since I am already a fan of Purlisse and that it’s meant for all skin types even my own but the shade is Medium Tan and afraid it’s too dark. Let’s see what the card says about this! This is a multi-tasking product that glides on like a tinted moisturizer and has the same age-defying benefits of sunscreen. I remembered in an interview that Jennifer Yen uses this item due to how she can’t wear foundation since the reason for starting this brand was due to the stage makeup back in the late 90s wrecked her skin and broke her out like crazy. I already put makeup on and not going to see how the shade matches but if BoxyCharm is going to look at profiles and surveys they need to really match people with their shade since they did start putting foundations in their box. I remembered matching with Cashmere from Becca and wondering why not this? I will see if there is a similar shade to mine if I want to purchase this in the future so will see what happens. This item retails for $35.
Lily Lashes Triple X Mascara: Next is my choice item and that’s from Lily Lashes! I heard so many things about this brand for its lashes but you know me I don’t wear lashes! Keep those things away from me! I did see they gave out the mascara and now wearing it. This is a lengthening, voluminizing, and bold mascara that has a tapered dual fiber brush that coats lashes with an ultra black formula. I have been using mascara primers due to how badly mine flaked into my eyes last year even caused me to be allergic to the E. L. F. Lash and Brow Gel Duo I used to love and when I used the lash primer my mascara stays put and even makes my lashes look better. This mascara did curl my lashes very well without a curler and very volumizing. This product retails for $24.
Cab Cosmetics Lip Duo: Next up was something I hoped to get and that is from CAB Cosmetics. I never heard of this brand until this was sneak peeked on YouTube. This is a lip liner and gloss duo that can be either worn alone or together which makes me happy on that part since I do use lip liner more with liquid lipstick to help them stay put more on the lips. This duo retails for $40.
Smashbox Photo Finish Setting Spray: Final item is from Smashbox! I was hoping to get this also because I am collecting items for a video on Smashbox for my Beauty Forgotten series and glad to get this here so I don’t have to purchase it! This helps make makeup stay put for 16 hours and is supposed to a comfortable wear without being sticky and also its high performance with the spray. I will definitely put this to the test when I get to that video and glad that I got this in my box because I don’t have to pay the retail price of $32.

So, this box was okay. I kind of felt like my box was thrown together with random stuff besides my choice as in the ere like, “Let’s throw this in! And this item! And this thing!” I don’t feel that this is a reason to cancel though because there are really good items I do get and glad to try new brands I haven’t gotten to try yet like Hank & Henry, now CAB, and have enjoyed other items from existing brands I have tried that I can’t always splurge on. I have seen people cancelling due to the items they have gotten and not being able to use. I know that feeling since I’ve gotten lashes twice and had to email them about it due to not marking them. Here is the thing, Ipsy, since I am also subscribed to them, always or gets my profile sometimes correct with what I pick and then get the other four items. BoxyCharm, on the other hand, feels like they hardly look at the quiz in the first place like what had happen with the Cover FX pallet a year ago where some people who fit in the certain skin tone categories got the wrong one. I’m hoping that the Medium Tan BB Cream is not too dark, also that the face wash doesn’t break me out. July’s choices were nothing but serums so hoping the next box will be better since we are technically in summer and yes having a nice BB Cream does help but they need to match skin tones right. I am still happy about the other three items though.

I did forget to mention! The item that FedEx inspected was the Smashbox Setting Spray because when I opened my box when I brought it inside I saw the box was open and knowing with sprays they do inspect those and wishing they weren’t jerks about it and open my box like they did. It’s like they think it may cause an issue, I understand that we have to be wary about what’s going around and being sent but seriously not cool!

That is it for this post. I was also supposed to get my Glam Bag but it ran into delays again! Hoping I do get it tomorrow or Tuesday! Until next time!
Kiley Skin Foaming Face Wash
Purlisse Perfect Glow BB Cream SPF 30
Lily Lashes Triple X Mascara
CAB Cosmetics Charming Lip Bundle
Smashbox Photo Finish Setting Spray

The Beauty Quadrant: Brands I Won’t Buy From!

Hello to all of you beautiful nerds and welcome back from traveling the vast nerd universe and welcome back! I know the world is very crazy right now but felt like doing another beauty related post!

Brands I Am Not Buying From!

Disclaimer: This post is not to bash on the brands being mentioned. This is a way of showing the lead writer’s opinion on them and if you like they go ahead so please respect the writer’s opinion while you’re at it!

I know I should have done this years ago when I first started in makeup but I felt like doing this since you know I am in a low buy I am trying to stick to but with the pandemic it’s really hard but I am doing better. The reason why this late is that there are brands that are out of my price range or if I have tried them before with an item that was a sample and don’t like it or just me that I do want to talk about it and shows how I do speak with my cards when it comes to buying. Let’s see what I got!

Sunday Riley: First up is Sunday Riley! I tried this brand all thanks to GB Plus with their Vitamin C moisturizer in one of my boxes last year and I thought it was okay even though it costs $65 and you know me with skin care you don’t have spent butt loads of money to moisturize the face or find a way of reducing wrinkles and so on. Yes, I buy Murad but I get that on discount since it is also good for my sensitive skin but Sunday Riley I am not sure about. I felt weird when I used the Vitamin C moisturizer as in it felt weird after using it and knowing I had to use it very day before it goes bad. Plus the Good Genes Lactic Acid doesn’t appeal to me at all and of course they lied about their products as in Sunday Riley workers lied on Sephora in the reviews section so that is another reason why I won’t be buying from the brand because skin care does not work overnight it takes time to work or not work and also not all products work on everyone either. That is why I read the claims before buying or choosing for my boxes.
Marc Jacobs: I remembered trying a lipstick from this brand in a birthday gift from Sephora and it was tiny and the lipstick reminded me of a Mac lipstick. I feel that sometimes if I try a very luxury brand when it comes to some makeup items I get reminded of the brands I love if it’s similar like how I said that their lipstick mini reminded me of Mac in a way and I think I remembered the lipsticks being in the $45 to $50 range like Tom Ford, which is another brand I won’t buy, and to me that is over price for something you would wear on every day.
Natasha Denona: I tried one of the eye shadows all thanks to Allure’s Beauty Box and it was just okay. I wished I put them in my answer to the pallet tag I did with the question about products that aren’t worth the hype but to be fair I only tried one shadow from this brand. I have to say about my experience with the shadow is that it was powdery and did not last throughout the day. I did not see the smudge on my makeup wipe at all from it coming from my eyes. Even though people hype this brand up but not my favorite and to me too pricey because it is around $100+. Even though there are smaller pallets but they are more than Urban Decay prices and I feel that it’s too much for me despite buying the Game of Thrones pallet last year. Still not my favorite.
KVD Vegan Beauty: I know she stepped down from her brand but Kogendo will be keeping up with the dry formula of her liquid lipsticks. I’m sorry guys but liquid lipstick should not be uncomfortable to wear on the lips and for that price as well. I felt like this brand also lost touch with the fans after what KVD said even with the most recent statements of how she blamed influencers for her downfall when she said some unfavorable things the past two years which does cause people to turn away in the first place. Again a lipstick formula should not be uncomfortable to wear on the lips, besides I have worn liquid lipsticks that felt better on my lips after tossing Echo and Wolf.

Well guys that is it for now for this post. I can’t think of any other brands but once I do I may write another post on them. What is next, new book review on the horizon! Stay tuned!