The Pintertest Files: DIY Erin Condren Cover

     Hello everyone and welcome to the inaugural episode of the Pintertest Files!  Where once a month I select a crafty DIY Pinterest post, try it out myself, and report back if it worked, if it was easy, or if once again Pinterest lied to us.  

     Since we are quickly coming up on the new year, for this month's Pintertest I have selected a DIY cover for the ever popular Erin Condren LifePlanner.   If you are unfamiliar with these day planners you can check the brand out here.  Essentially they are a nice and almost completely customizable day planner.  They have removable, plastic covers that you can swap out for different designs, but each cover comes with a pretty heft price tag (starting at  $10.95).  So of course when I saw that there may be a way to make these covers yourself, I had to try it out.

The following DIY is based on real life events, names and places have been changed to protect identities.  Viewer discretion is advised.

What You Will Need:

Materials needed as listed by original Pinterest tutorial

• Erin Condren LifePlanner
• Pretty Paper/Photos
• Scotch Self-Seal Laminating Sheets, size 8.5"x11"
• Scissors
• Paper Hole Punch 
• Ruler
• Marker or Pen
• Optional - double sided tape

Step 1: Measure and Cut Paper to Match Original Cover Size

Measure the inside "design" aspect of the cover, not the plastic.

     This is fairly straightforward and easy, simply measure the design element within the original cover (the paper part not the plastic) and cut your new paper to match that size. 

Step 2:  Use Tape to Adhere Outside Cover Paper to Inside Lining Paper

Front cover design and inside lining. 

     This step was labeled optional, and to be used only if you were planning on using a different design of paper for the inside lining of your cover.  This step can be skipped if your cover will consist of only 1 sheet of paper. It was suggest that if you are making a collage of photos for your cover, you adhere them to a backing piece of paper. 

Step 3: Laminate The Outside Part of the Cover

First layer of self laminating material, adhesive side up.

     Pull the backing off one sheet of self laminating material.  Place it flat on the work surface, adhesive side up. Next, take your design paper and lay it front side down in the middle of the adhesive sheet.  Leave plenty of adhesive material exposed as a border around the paper. 

Application of the first layer of laminating material.

     Again this step was fairly straight forward.  The laminating sheets are really static-y and as such want to fold over on themselves when pulling the back off.  If proper care is used it shouldn't be an issue, more of a minor annoyance. 

Step 4: Laminate the Inside Part of the Cover

Application of the second layer of laminating material, cover paper 'sandwiched' between sheets. 

    Pull the backing of a second sheet of self laminating material.  Slowly and carefully place it, adhesive side down, over the paper and first sheet of laminating material.  This will create a "sandwich" of laminating material with your designer paper in the middle.  Press firmly to remove all air bubbles, and seal around the edges of the paper where the two laminating sheets meet.

     This was a bit trickier as you only have ONE shot at this, so you better do it right.  Once the laminating sheets are down, there's no pulling them back up or apart.  Immediately upon pressing out all the bubbles, it became apparent that a larger clear plastic border will be necessary for this cover (vs the original), as the thickness of the paper prevents the two laminating sheets from meeting up immediately at the edge of the paper.  

Step 5: Trim Excess Plastic Away 

Front and back covers, fully laminated and excess plastic trimmed. 

     Trim the excess laminating material away.  Leave 1/2" margin on the side for hole punches, the remaining 3 sides leave a 1/4" margin. 

    Even though this step went off with out a hitch, it was at this time I start doubting the structural integrity of this project.  The original cover that comes with the planner is so much thicker and sturdier.  It's obvious that some kind of thermal plastic is used, not the flimsy plastic sheets utilized in this tutorial.  My original cover is showing some wear and tear on the corners and on the punched part where it connects to the spiral planner. If the thick plastic of the original cover can't hold up to daily use, no way is this flimsy laminate material going to. 

Step 6: Mark the Locations Where the Punches Need to Go

Marking hole punch locations using original cover as a template. 

     The beginning of the end. It was at this step that I recognized the first big mistake in the DIY instructions.  The holes on the original cover are not basic hole punch holes, but rather are made with a professional binding machine.  This is to be expected, clearly a company would use such a machine vs having a bunch of people hand punch holes in the covers.  However, the holes in the machine punched covers are smaller than a standard hole punch and the holes are oval, not circular. 

     Immediately it was obvious that the standard 1/4" hole punch was going to produce holes WAY TOO large for this project.  I quickly wrote this off as my own mistake, that I somehow overlooked instructions where it stated that a 1/8" craft punch should be used.  But no, the instructions didn't say anything specific about size, just "hole punch."  

     Also this tutorial claimed all materials could be found in discount stores such as Target or Walmart.  Just to explain the hole punch debacle, I actually bought a brand new hole punch from Target (a nice craft one) as my previous hole punch was lost somewhere in our move.  There was no size option just a cheap silver version vs a more expensive model. I splurged for the craft version. 

Step 7: Punch Out Marked Holes With Paper Puncher aka Where it All Went Down In Flames

First few punches produced less than stellar results. 

     Despite the issues with the hole punch size, I decided to move forward with the project.  I don't like to toot my own horn, but usually I can figure out ways to make things work.  I thought at worst perhaps I punch out over other hole to make up for the increased size.

Crafting punch, purchased at Target.  

     In hindsight I should have just threw it all away and set it on fire because the next 15 minutes of my life were nothing but a blur of jammed punches, cursing and vowing never to do another project again.  Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic, there WAS cursing though.  

Example of how the plastic material would jam the hole puncher. 

     I don't know what type of black magic voodoo cursed crafting wizard the original author of the tutorial was, but there is no way in hell that plastic laminate material was going to cut cleanly with a paper hole punch.  There is just no way.  The plastic was too flexible.  Most of the time it stretched and ripped before the punch could cut it cleanly.  Several times it jammed up the punch, requiring me to use considerable force to pry it open.  

Final result of jammed hole puncher.  Note how the plastic stretched, then tore. 

Project Grade and Final Thoughts:

     There are different types of laminating material offered by Scotch.  Including a self laminating pouch and a thermal type that requires a laminating machine.  Maybe one of those would work better?  Maybe if I had a different paper hole punch?  Or maybe the original author sacrificed a goat to the Martha Stewart gods and is now blessed the ability to work crafting miracles (I'm voting on the later).

   

   If you have a Pinterest project that you would like me to test, feel free to comment below or email me at ABeautyintheChaos@gmail.com.  Thank you so much for stopping by!  See you next week! 

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Too Faced Brand Review

     Hello everyone!  I hope this finds each of you in the midst of a joyful holiday season celebrating with those closest to you.

     I have been working on this post for quite a while (get a drink it's gonna be a long one). For some time I've been wanting to provide reviews on brands as a whole instead of individual products.  I know often times I can get somewhat stuck in a rut, sticking to specific brands and products that I know work best for me.  Nothing is wrong with it, but it's also fun to try out products/brands that are perhaps unfamiliar.  Unfortunately with the cost of many cosmetic prices, it's not always feasible to grab a bunch of products to experiment with.  Especially if the products don't end up working for you.

    So I hope that this (and future posts like it) can help you navigate through some of the various brands and products that you may encounter in the cosmetic world.  Perhaps you find some information here that makes you feel comfortable with indulging in a pricier splurge.  Or after reading this you decide that it's best to save your money when it comes to a particular product.

     For full disclosure, I purchased all of these products with my own money. All the reviews are my own.  I am not affiliated or sponsored by Too Faced cosmetics in any way.

     Ok enough of the boring stuff, lets get into the review.  As a general introduction Too Faced is a high end cosmetic brand available through Ulta, Sephora, Macy's and other similar cosmetic stores as well as TooFaced.com.  The whole brand is cruelty-free and many (but not all) the products are also vegan.

     It's well known for its elaborate and ultra-feminine packaging, often sporting bright colorful cases emblazoned with script fonts, flourishes, bows and of course sparkles.   The packaging, while cute, actually kept me away from the brand for a long time as it can be very reminiscent of the cheap play makeup one would see in the dress up aisles of discount stores.   But just like a book should not be judged by its cover, make-up should not be solely judged on its packaging.

Love Flush Long Lasting 16-hour Blush - $26.00 - 0.21oz

Too Faced Love Flush Long Lasting Blushes feature playful packaging color coordinated to the blush within 

     Speaking of packaging....these blushes are a prime example of the ultra feminine style of Too Faced.  It's not my favorite, they are kind of hard to get open.    However the product itself is amazing. These are richly pigmented, and finely milled which allows for easy blending.   I have not personally tested the 16-hour wear time that is being claimed, but I have never had any issues with the blush fading or breaking down on me. 

Too Faced Love Flush Blushes from Left to Right in Baby Love, Your Love Is King, and Justify My Love

     There are 6 colors available of which I have 3 (shown above).  Baby Love I used a ton last summer as it gave a very natural warm pink glow that looked great with a tan.  Justify My Love is my year round baby pink color.  Your Love Is King is my newest shade and I really like it for the fall and winter when you want that just-in-from-the-cold type look.  

Too Faced Love Flush swatches from Left to Right: Baby Love, Your Love is King, and Justify My Love

Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer - $30.00 - 0.35oz

Deluxe Sample of Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer 

     Just for clarification, the image I have is of my sample size of the Chocolate Soleil bronzer.  The price and the size reflected in the title is the cost of the full-sized product.

Too Faced Cocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer swatched 

     This is one of Too Faced's better known products. It is a matte bronzer infused with cocoa powder, so it smells absolutely delicious.  The powder is very finely milled and blends well.  Unfortunately it is way too dark of color for me.  They also offer a lighter formula (Milk Chocolate Soleil), a deep formula (Dark Chocolate Soleil) as well as several blush/bronzer combinations.

     I have played around with the Milk Chocolate in the store, it blends well and is also finely milled, but the base color is too warm and pulls orange on my skin.  As such I think these products work best for those with warm to neutral undertones. If you have cool undertones such as myself , it may be best to avoid this product. 

Hangover Rx Replenishing Face Primer - $32.00 - 1.35oz

Deluxe Sample of Too Faced Hangover Rx Replenishing Face Primer

     Another sample sized product (I make those Sephora points work for me), the noted price and size are for the full sized product.  What is pictured is my sample. 

    A silicone-free primer, this contains coconut water, probiotics, and "skin revivers" that are supposed to help promote skin brightness and elasticity while hydrating, smoothing the skin texture and extending the wear of makeup.  It has a slight coconut scent to it that quickly disappears after application. 

    I had a lot of hope for this as my skin is usually brutally dry in the winter. A primer that promised to promote hydration and brightness is exactly what I was looking for.  Unfortunately it didn't deliver.  It was a slightly uncomfortable formula for me as it left a bit of a sticky feeling residue.  I didn't feel any hydration benefits compared to my usual primer, nor did I see any bright or dewey complexion that was promised.  As far as extending the wear of my makeup it didn't increase or decrease the wear time compared to my other primer.  

    

     Being dry I don't often have issues with my makeup breaking down, usually I use a primer as a mixing agent for the CoverFX drops that I use as a foundation.  Occasionally I will use a pore-filling primer, but in those instances a primer with a silicone like component works best on me. Being that it didn't particularly help, and it left the annoying sticky residue I wouldn't personally recommend this primer. 

Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer - $20.00 - 0.35oz

Deluxe Sample of Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer

     Yet another sample sized product.  This came with one of the palettes I bought.  The price and size above reflects the cost of the full sized product. 

     While my skin is dry, I do have somewhat oily eyelids and have found my eye shadow creases when I don't prime my lids.  In addition as a contacts wearer I like having a primer to lock down the softer more powdery shadows, I have found it generally helps prevent irritation from excessive fallout. 

 
     I like this primer, it does what it claims.  The formula is light and applies smoothly.  It dries relatively fast and its light beige color helps even out the color of my lids.  Eyeshadow stays in place (although I have never tested it's waterproof claims) longer than if I had not primed at all.  I place it on par with other high end brands of eye shadow primer.  If you have creasing or fading issues with your eye shadow and drugstore primers just aren't working I'd recommend giving this one a try. 

The Return of Sexy Eye Shadow Palette - $49.00

Too Faced The Return of Sexy Eye Shadow Palette 

     This palette contains 15 eye shadows with a total net weight of 15g or 0.53oz. It also includes a full sized Perfect Eyes Eyeliner (0.04oz) and a deluxe sample of the Shadow Insurance primer (0.17oz).

Palette includes 3 Eye Shadow Quints from Left to Right: the Ingenue, the Icon, and the Bombshell

    The palette is divided up into three style looks, the Ingenue, the Icon and the Bombshell.  Each look has 5 coordinating shadows including a highlight color, 3 midtone colors and 1 dark color.  All of the shadows are extremely glittery or shimmery and as such I only use this for special events or nights out when I want a more dramatic eye look.

The Ingenue Quint Includes Shadows from Left to Right: Naive, Ingenue, Innocent, New In Town, Casting Couch

    As most glittery shadows are, these are a bit gritty save for Pink Diamond which is surprisingly soft.  I found Ingenue to be the most difficult to work with, and New In Town to be very sheer.  Considering how common gold/bronze/shimmery brown shadows are, I would say over all the shadows in the Ingenue look quint are rather disappointing.  If you are buying the palette specifically for these color options, spend it elsewhere.

The Icon Quint Includes Shadows from Left to Right: Pink Diamond, Icon, Divorcee, Hopeless Romantic, Primadonna

     That is NOT the case for the Icon and Bombshell quints.  I found these shadows to be well pigmented albeit a bit gritty (again they have glitter), and when paired with a good primer the wear time is good.  I used Bombshell and Hollywood for a Christmas party, and had very little to no creasing by the end of the night, also no fallout.

The Bombshell Quint Includes Shadows from Left to Right: 7 Year Itch, Bombshell, Hollywood, Maneater, Beautymark

   
     Overall I would say this is not a need-to-have palette. While the formula is nice for a glitter-intense shadow, there are no matte shades to create a more toned down look or use as a transition shadow.  As such, I find myself only occasionally reaching for this.  When I do use it, I have to use other shadow products as well.  Considering the relatively high price tag, I'd save my money for something that will provide more looks. 

Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Collection - $49.00 

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Collection 

     Similar to the Cocolate Soleil bronzers, all the shadows in the Chocolate Bar collection are infused with cocoa powder and smell just like chocolate.  There are 16 shadows total.  14 shadows are 0.03oz each for a total weight of 0.42oz.  The remaining 2 highlight shadows are larger at 0.07oz each for a total weight of 0.14oz.

Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Collection Features 16 Shadows Including 2 Larger Sized Highlights

     Where the Return of Sexy Palette dropped short, the Chocolate Bar picks up the slack.  There is a great mix of matte, shimmer and glittery shades in this palette.  As well as a good mix of neutral brown shades and pops of color.  The result is a well balanced palette that allows for several different looks both daytime appropriate and nighttime dramatic.

Chocolate Bar Swatches from Left to Right: Gilded Ganache, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, White Chocolate, Marzipan, Creme Brulee

    All of the shadows blend out easily, including the mattes.  They are well pigmented and smooth. The brown colors may not be the most original, however the addition of the plum, pink and burgundy shades add more variation and versatility than a traditional neutral palette.

Chocolate Bar Swatches from Left to Right: Semi-Sweet, Haute Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Strawberry Bon Bon,       Cherry Cordial

     There were two colors (Cherry Cordial and Triple Fudge) that I had a bit of trouble with.  There seemed to be a bit of a hard pan-type layer covering the top.  Once I worked with them a little more and dug in a bit they softened up considerably.

Chocolate Bar Swatches from Left to Right: Black Forest Truffle, Candied Violet, Champagne Truffle, Triple Fudge, Amaretto

    Unlike the Return to Sexy palette which is only pulled out for special occasions, I feel this palette is set up for many more looks.  The combination of matte shades with the shimmers allows it to be used day into night and the pop of color available allows for the user to venture outside the traditional brown looks. The addition of the cocoa powder adds a bit of uniqueness which also makes this palette stand out.  Taking into account that the overall formula is  nice and consistent, I would highly recommend this palette to anyone who is interested in exploring this brand or high end makeup in general. 

Better Than Sex Mascara - $23.00 - 0.27oz

Deluxe Sample of Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Black

    What I have is another deluxe size sample product.  So what I have pictured is not the full size.  The brush size and shape however is the same. 

     Longer lashes and 1,944% more volume is what is promised by the advertisement for this product.  I think a lot of that volume comes in the form of a chunk.  Maybe my sample was bad, old, or overly dried out, because man is this stuff thick. The brush, however, is amazing.  If I could pull it out, clean it off and use it with other brands, I would. 

     The first application I barely got anything on my lashes at all.  Second coat and later applications deposited more product, but what was deposited was very clumpy and dry.  I didn't even attempt a third coat which was supposed to "make me believe in magic."  Did my lashes look bigger? Yes because it was obvious I had a craptacular amount of mascara on.  Personally that is just not a look I go for.  Also as a contacts wearer it became increasingly uncomfortable as the formula started to dry and flake throughout the day.  

    Overall this just isn't something I would recommend.  I am particularly hard on mascara, especially high end brands.  Usually I love the wands/brushes offered in expensive mascara but don't find the formulas any better or worse than what the drugstores offer.  Bottom line, save your money  for one of their other products. 

La Creme Color Drenched Lipstick - $22.00 - 0.11oz

Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lipsticks

     In my opinion this is THE big daddy formula of any hydrating lipstick.  The formula is incredibly comfortable, it honestly feels like a lip balm.  In the winter I usually suffer from chapped, peeling lips  (who doesn't) and this is one lip color that I feel I can wear that doesn't dry my lips out more or highlight the trouble spots.

La Creme Lipstick Swatches from Left to Right: Honey Bear, Pink Chocolate, Bumbleberry

     That doesn't mean this lipstick is without faults. For starters like all hydrating lip formulas, the wear time is much shorter than a drier or matte formula lipstick.  There is some transfer and re-application will be necessary after eating.  Also true to most hydrating formulas, the color is more sheer.  It still has a good color payoff, better than most lipsticks of similar formula, but you will not get an intense painted on look that you can achieve with a liquid lipstick.  

     In short I think this is a fantastic splurge item, especially if you have problems with dry chapped lips or find many lipstick formulas uncomfortable to wear.  While the collection features 32 shades, most of them are fairly similar and very daytime appropriate.  My recommendation would be to find the one shade you love (or that my-lips-but-better shade) that you will wear every day, and buy that one.  This isn't the formula or the collection to go searching for the new daring color (it's unlikely they will even have it).  And it's more cost effective to invest in the color that you will wear every day.

Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick - $21.00 - 0.4oz

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick 

     On the opposite end of the spectrum from the La Creme line is the Melted liquid lipsticks.  Available in 18 original colors, 8 metal colors and 6 new chocolate colors, these lipsticks pack a serious color punch.

Melted Lipstick Swatches from Left to Right: Melted Berry, Melted Fig

     Of course the pigmentation and longevity come at a very slight discomfort price as it is in no way hydrating.  Unlike other liquid lipsticks that dry to a matte formula, these have a more glossy appearance and are not nearly as drying.  I found myself wearing the formula fairly comfortably for 6 hours. There was a slight bit of crumbling when the formula dried out and showed signs of wear, but that was also after eating and drinking.  I found hydrating the lips before applying helped tremendously with any dry feelings. 

     Application is very easy. The tube is reminiscent of that of liquid chap stick, however the tip is felt rather than plastic and it evenly disperses the product which is light and thin.  A little goes a long way especially in the bolder colors.  The formula does have a staining action to it which contributes to it's longevity.  

     Despite it's rather high price tag, I do love this lipstick. Melted Fig (pictured above) is by far my favorite color in the collection, and actually is a serious contender for my favorite lipstick of all time. If budget is an issue I recommend picking a single color that is your go-to bold lip look.  The comfort of the formula will keep you from wanting to scratch your lips off while the longevity will keep you from constant reapplication. 

Overall Thoughts/Observations

     If you are new to high end makeup, or want to give a new brand a try, I think Too Faced is a good brand to go with.  They have a solid line of of  products especially when it comes to eye shadows, lipsticks and blushes.  I have not personally tried out their Born This Way foundation, but I have heard very good things about it.  There are only a small handful of products that I flat out don't like, and the bronzer I avoid only because it doesn't work well with my skin tone.  

   Thank you all so very much for stopping by!  This was a monster of a post but I want to be as thorough  as possible with these brand reviews.  If this is a type of post you would like to see more of let me know in the comments below!  Have a very merry holiday and I will see you next week! 

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November Ipsy vs. Boxycharm

     Howdy!  It has taken me a ridiculously long amount of time to get this post up, but finally here it is -  my monthly rundown of what I received in my November Ipsy and Boxycharm packages!

     If you are interested in signing up for either one of these subscription boxes you can find referral links on my favorites page here.  I don't get paid for referrals,  I simply get points that I can use to redeem some additional products as does every one who subscribes.

    I am not paid or endorsed by either Ipsy or Boxycharm, nor am I by any company whose products are represented in the boxes.  I pay for the subscription boxes myself and as such the reviews and opinions on the boxes and the products they contain are my own.

Ipsy: 

     

Ipsy November Glam Bag - Beauty Blast 

     This month's Ipsy bag theme was Beauty Blast and the card included says "The stars are aligning.  Your November glam bag is a universe of brilliant beauties.  Twinkle, twinkle darling. It's time to light up the sky."  I love the bag this month.  It's a basic nylon fabric, printed with a interstellar/galaxy motif.  It's pink, purple and blue and I promptly threw it in my handbag to use.

Beaute Basics Gel Eyeliner - Navy

Beaute Basics Gel Eyeliner in Navy

     Initially I was pretty excited for this product.  I don't have much gel eyeliner and would like to experiment more with it.  The navy color in the pot looks like a nice deep color.  However upon swatching the liner, I was unimpressed.  The formula is very wet/creamy, and the color is pretty sheer.  To get the dark navy color it has to be built up quite a bit.  Because it is so wet it takes a while to dry down and smudges a lot when applied thickly, but you need it thick to be opaque... it's a mess. 

     Also, the brush included is really cheap.  It didn't come to a nice point but rather split out at the end, making it impossible to get a nice fine line.  Ok, I have other brushes so that's not a deal breaker.  But combined with the formula issues, this product is over all a giant no for me. 

Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara - Jet Black

Smashbox Full Exposre Mascara in Jet Black

     I have 3 or so of these trial sized Smashbox mascaras already.  I haven't tried the formula yet as I am waiting to finish with the mascara that I am currently using. I am fairly ambivalent towards receiving this mascara.  I've heard good things about it, but again it's hard to get excited for something you already have. 

Crown Brush C412 DLX. Pointed Crease Brush

Crown Brush C413 DLX Pointed Crease Brush

     This is a fairly basic crease brush.  I wish it had a longer handle on it, but that is just personal preference.  The bristles are very soft and fluffy.  It's good for blending out colors.  It's nothing terrible, but also nothing super amazing. 

Albertini International Warm Love Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask

Albertini International Warm Love Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask

    I mentioned before that I love trying out different facial masks.  I have not tried this one out yet, but I am looking forward to doing so.  It smells fantastic!  It smells like pumpkin pie. It has a creamy texture, I'm fully anticipating this product making me hungry when I use it.  

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

    This is the product I am most excited about.  I have heard so much about the Josie Maran argan oil through other bloggers.  Most have used it as a moisturizer for their face but I have heard of other uses including using it as a hair oil or as a cuticle oil. 

 

      My skin in the winter is horribly dry and flaky, especially on my nose.  I am hoping that this product can help with that without breaking me out.  I've never used a straight oil before, it seems... interesting.   We will see, I'll report back. 

Boxycharm:

November Boxycharm box - Beauty Par-Tea

     The theme for this month's Boxycharm box is a tea party.  The card included with it says "Twinkle charmers in the skies! How we love your sparkling eyes!  Up above the moon we dream. Like a rainbow in the stream.  Twinkle charmers in the skies! How we love your sparkling eyes!"

    From that little poem one would think that this box includes a bunch of eye products, but it doesn't. Maybe some other subscribers got more eye products in their boxes?  I don't know.  I just thought it funny that the poem talked about sparkling eyes and the majority of the products were not eye oriented. 

Luxie Rose Gold Concealer Brush 211 -$12.00

Luxie Rose Gold Concealer Brush 211 available at www.luxiebeauty.com

     This is labeled as a concealer brush, but I probably won't use it as such.  It's bristles are soft, fairly stiff and come to a point.  It's also got a flat shape to it.  It looks like it will work nicely for packing on eye color, especially cream formulas such as Colourpop shadows.  So that's probably what I will use this for. 

Pur~Lisee Pur~Eye Adore Quadra Benefit Eye Serum - Full Size -$65.00

Pur~Lisse Pur~Eye Adore Quadra Benefit Eye Serum available at www.purlisse.com 

      Holy crap a $65.00 eye serum!  Haha this is one of the reasons why I love Boxycharm.  I would in all likelihood never buy myself this product.  Now if it turns out to be a miracle in a bottle, eh then maybe I would repurchase it.  But I doubt that is going to happen.  However, I am excited to try this out and see how it works. 

Manna Kadar's Liplocked Priming Gloss Stain - All of Me - Full Size - $24.00

Manna Kadar Liplocked Priming Gloss Stain in All of Me available at www.mannakadarcosmetics.com

     This is a brand I had previously never heard of, so it was fun trying this out.  The formula is really weird, but in a good way.  It applies and feels like a standard gloss. It definitely has a shine and has that slick gloss feeling.  However unlike most standard glosses the color is very opaque and it leaves a stain when wiped off.  

     It does transfer quite a bit as one would expect with any gloss.  Because of the staining properties, it is a bit of a pain when it transfers because it's not the easiest formula to wipe off.  But the color is absolutely beautiful and I'm going to continue to wear it.  I'll just try not to kiss my husband or kids while it's on. 

Coolway Leave-In Treatment - Full Size - $19.95

Coolway Leave-In Treatment available at www.coolwayhair.com

     I have received several other products from Coolway before and I have liked all of them.  So it is safe to say that I will also enjoy this product.  Although to be quite honest I don't know what differentiates this from the leave-in conditioner that I received a few month's ago other than this has a pump and the conditioner was a spray.  Oh well, it smells nice and my hair can always use some hydration. 

Studiomakeup Soft Blend Blush - Wildflower SBB-07 - Full Size - $17.00

Studiomakeup Soft Blend Blush in Wildflower available at www.studio-makeup.com

     Another brand that I have not previously tried.  The formula of this blush is really nice and finely milled.  The pigmentation is good, it does apply a bit sheer but can very easily be built up to a opaque finish which I personally prefer in a blush.  

   The color I received (Wildflower) is a really pretty natural pink matte.  I think it would look nice on most fair to medium skin tones.  It may not show up on some darker tones.  But it is a very flattering shade.  

LVX Discount Code: BOXYLVX 

     Last of all the November Boxycharm included a discount code for LVX nail lacquer. It is good for 25% of your purchase at shoplvx.com and is good through 12/31/2015.  No where on the card does it say the code is one time use only, so I'm sharing it with my readers.  

   That is it for the November Ipsy and Boxycharm.  Thanks for stopping by!  As always if you have any questions or recommendations feel free to leave them in the comment section below.  I am trying to get some posts written up ahead of time so that I can post regularly through the holidays, however it has been super busy for us just like it is for everyone.  I apologize ahead of time if a week is skipped, or if a post shows up later in the week.  

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