Play! By Sephora November 2016 Spoilers

Hello everyone! The Play! by Sephora October theme has finally been announced on their website! For those that don't know,  Play! by Sephora is a $10/month beauty and makeup subscription service. They send 6 samples each month, along with a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks and a PLAY! PASS for in-store learning. You can take the PLAY! PASS into any Sephora store, and use it to earn an additional 50 points with any purchases made. There is a waiting list to join; however, it does open up for everyone from time to time. Just continue to check in, and add your email address to be notified once it does!

The theme for November is Best in Glow! There will of course be variations in the boxes that are sent out; however, I have spoilers for one of the boxes below. 

Box 1 will include:

Cover FX Illuminating Primer

The Estee Edit Dissolve the Drama

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD Clearing Treatment

Stella McCartney POP

Box 1 looks like a fantastic box, and I really hope it's the one that I receive. Are you hoping to receive the box above, or are there other products you would like to receive instead? Let me know in the comments section below, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on the other box variations when they become available. 

November 2016 Boxycharm Spoilers!

Alright everyone, the first sneak peek for the November Boxycharm box just arrived, and my goodness is it gorgeous!!!! 

All subscribers will be receiving a Studio Makeup On-The-Go palette with all the beautiful shades shown above!

I am so in love with the Studio Makeup palette that we received in the September Boxycharm, so I cannot wait to get my hands on this one, too! 

The second sneak peek looks pretty amazing, too!!

Charmers will either be receiving the Vintage Cosmetics Illuminating Face Highlighter or a Makeup Geek Blush, which will come in 1 of 12 shades. 

Subscribers will also be receiving one of the following items in their box.

Marula Facial Oil OR

Patchology Facial Mask Trio Set OR

Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream Pen

If you are not already subscribed to Boxycharm, then follow the link below to get started today. I promise you will not want to miss out on this palette in November! Also be sure to subscribe to my blog, so you don't miss out on coming up spoilers for this month's box!

https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS

October 2016 Boxycharm Unboxing

Welcome back everyone! It's time, once again, for another Boxycharm unboxing. For those that don't know, Boxycharm is a $21/month beauty subscription service that sends 5-6  FULL SIZE beauty products each month. Nearly every box has a total value of over $100 worth of product in it. They also offer a rewards program where you can earn full sized products for free. This box does lean more towards the makeup side of beauty; however, they do include skincare/haircare, as well. Keep reading below to see what I received this month. This post does contain referral links. 

This theme for this month's box is Boxy Bazaar. I get total American Horror Story vibes when I look at the design of the card that comes in the box. Anyone else? This month I received the following items:

1.) Briogeo Rosarco Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Creme- $24

I've never tried anything from this line before, but I have heard nothing but great things about it. This particular product contains argan, coconut, and rosehip oils, which is designed to smooth hair, enhance shine, tame frizz, and provide heat protection. I tried it out on my hair today, and it worked well! It has a nice smell to it, as well. The size of this is pretty big too, and will probably last me a long time. 

2.) Luxie Beauty Eye Blender Brush Pack -$ 36

I have received several Luxie brushes in the past, and I've loved every single one of them. They blend well, don't shed, and the pink/gold handles are gorgeous!

This bundle includes: 

Luxie 229 Rose Gold Tapered Blending Brush- $12

Luxie 237 Rose Gold Blending Brush- $12

Luxie 205 Rose Gold Tapered Blending Eye Brush- $12

I'm so happy to have received these. I'm slowly completing my Luxie brush collection thanks to subscription boxes!

3.) IBY Beauty Three's Company Eyeshadow Trio- $19

This was fairly nice packaging for a little trio eyeshadow palette. The outside is nice and sturdy, with a nice size mirror on the inside.

This trio set comes with 1 matte shade and 2 shimmer shades. The matte shade is a light brown, which would be nice in the crease. There is some fall-out with this shade though. The 2 shimmer shades include a white highlighter and a beautiful metallic bronze shade. While these are nice everyday colors, we just received a beautiful full-size shadow palette in last months Boxycharm, that contained similar shades. I would have liked shadows in a different shade range this month. Swatches are below. 

I'm also not the type of person to reach for little trio eyeshadow palettes. I would much prefer something larger, that I can do several different eye looks with. 

4.)  Starlooks Ultra Long Wear Matte Lip Paint in Piquant -$19

This is a beautiful mauve shade! I've only tried a few items from Starlooks before, and I was never really impressed with any of them. However, I love this! It goes on easily, and it isn't too drying on my lips. It lasted through breakfast and lunch before reapplication was needed. I will definitely be looking into purchasing the other shades in this range!

5.) Temptu Shimmer Bronzer- $29.50

This, unfortunately, was the one item from the sneak peeks that I absolutely did not want. I've said in multiple posts in the past that I do not like liquid bronzers, blushes, or highlights, so sadly, this product will probably go unused until I can find someone to give it to. I did test it out first though. The color is much to dark for me, even after blending it out, and it has a really orange tint to it, which I am not a fan of when it comes to bronzers. It left my skin feeling sticky, too. Congrats to anyone that received the blushes from Cargo or the Ofra highlighter, you HAVE to let me know how you like them! Swatches are below. 

Swatches of the Starlooks Matte Liguid Lipstick and the Temptu Shimmer Bronzer.

The overall value of this month's box is $127.50. That's a great value for this box! I only really like 3 out of the 5 products that I received this month What were your thoughts on it, and did you receive different items than I did? Let me know in the comments section below

Also, if you're not already subscribed, than click the link below to get started today!

https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS

Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario: Swatch and Review

Hey y'all! I'm back today with another swatch and review of the recently launched Anastasia Beverly Hills Master Palette by Mario. As I said in my review of the MetalMatte Palette, I don't typically give into the hype surrounding holiday releases, because the formulation is not the same. However, I am a HUGE fan of anything ABH, so when I saw that this palette was coming out, I knew I would have to get it. 

Upon first glance online, I didn't know if I would actually like this palette, because the shades are all very similar. However, after watching several Youtube videos, and seeing everyone address this issue by stating that they were, in fact, different, I decided to purchase this. 

This palette retails for $45, and can be found on the Sephora and Ulta websites. It appears to already be sold out on the ABH website.

If you want to know MY thoughts on the shades, shadows, and everything else, then just keep on reading below. 

The outside packaging is this sleek black, matte with gold detailing. Very simple, yet sophisticated. 

The inside of the palette is set up in the typical ABH design, with a mirror on one side, and the 12 eyeshadows on the other, with a dual-ended brush.  As I just mentioned, this palette contains a total of 12 shades, with 2 metallics, 3 mattes, and 7 satin/shimmer shades.

Now let's get into some swatches!

The swatches above are the first row in the palette. They are finger swatches, with ZERO primer on underneath them. 

*Hollywood- Metallic wheat gold with satin finish

*NYC- Rich chocolate brown with satin finish

*Kim- Ultimate tan with satin finish

*Muse- Rose gold with satin finish

*Marina- Champagne with metallic finish

*Claudia- Slate with velvet finish

The above swatches are the second row in the palette. They are, once again, finger swatches with ZERO primer on underneath. 

*Lula- Soft taupe with ultra-matte finish

*Isabel- Burnt orange with ultra-matte finish (MY FAVORITE!!)

*Violeta- Dark chocolate with ultra-matte finish

*5th Ave- Gold leaf with metallic finish

*Bronx- Metallic olive with satin finish

*Paris- Gilded brown with satin finish

First off, this is a very nice, jewel-toned palette. The colors blend very well and are quite pigmented. I did notice, however, that the formulation seemed a little bit softer than the other ABH palettes. This means that there was A LOT of crumbling and fall-out associated with the shadows. 

As for the shade range, the shadows are different from one another; however, I definitely prefer a little bit more variation in my palettes. The shadows are very closely related to one another. Also, I didn't like how there wasn't a matte cream color. I love setting my concealer/primer with a shadow before blending any other colors on my lid. I will have to go into another palette, or grab my translucent setting powder in order to do that. 

Overall, do I think this palette is worth the $45 price tag?? It's pretty but I would have to say no. I have many other palettes that I love way more. 

Let me know in the comment section below what your thoughts are on this palette, and what future reviews you would like to see!

Update (11/27/2016): I placed this palette in my rotation to use this month, and I actually ended up falling in love with it. The colors, while they are all very similar, are in fact different in their own way. I would HIGHLY recommend getting your hands on this if you can. 

October 2016 Ipsy Unbagging

Hello everyone! It's finally that time of the month where I share what I received in my Ipsy glam bag. Ipsy is a $10/month subscription service, that sends out 5 different beauty items per month. It is generally more makeup items; however, they also throw in some skin care and hair care items, as well. Each month subscribers will receive their items in a cute little makeup bag.  You can review the items you receive for points, which you can then redeem for items on their website. Continue reading below to find out what I received this month. This post contains referral links.

1.) Kokie Nail Polish in Heavenly- $6.00 (full size)

When I first saw this on my sneak peek, I wasn't too excited about it, especially after seeing that gorgeous nail polish from Adesse New York! It still wasn't a color that I particularly liked even after pulling it out of the bag; however, after I applied two coats to my nails, I have to say that I actually DO like it. It was completely opaque with two coats, and it dried down fairly quickly. For whatever reason, I really liked the brush applicator on this. It applied the polish nice and evenly to my entire nail. 

It really reminds me of the nail polish Boxycharm subscribers received a few months back in the June Boxycharm; however, this particular one has more of a purple tint to it. It lasted quite nicely on my nails, too. Hats off to Ipsy for surprising me with this one. 

2.) Pur-lisse Daily Lip Nourisher with Mango and Shea Butters ~$6.00 (deluxe size)

I have received this product before in my April Boxycharm. I still have nearly the entire tube of that one left; however, I'm sure with the winter months coming up soon, I will be using it more. I do like it; however, I wish I would have received an item I have never tried before. This product does a good job of nourishing my lips, but the wear time isn't as long as some of lip moisturizers that I own. My favorite lip moisturizer definitely has to be the Jouer Lip Enhancer!!

3.) Noyah Natural Lipstick in Currant News ~$5.00 (sample size)

I was surprised to see that I was going to be receiving two different lip products in my bag this month. When I saw that I was getting this lipstick, I was hoping that it would be in this particular shade! 

It's such a beautiful color, and it really does have some great pigmentation. It applied nicely to my lips, and maintained a great color for several hour before reapplication was needed. My only complaint is that I wish I would have received the full-size of it. This is definitely a go-to fall shade! Swatches are below.  

4.) the Balm Cosmetics Hot Mama Blush ~$3.00 (sample size)

I have actually been wanting to try this blush for quite some time, so I'm happy to have received it my bag this month. 

It is a VERY TINY sample size though, so it will be kind of hard for me to get my blush brush into it. I was also expecting something a little deeper in tone, since we are heading into the fall/winter seasons. This definitely seems like more of a summer blush to me, with it's pinky-peach hue. I really do like it though, and it looks great on my cheeks! Swatches are below.

5.) NYX Professional Cosmetics Vivid Brights Eyeliner in Gunmetal- $7.00 (full size)

I couldn't find this particular shade on the NYX or Ulta websites, but they do have some other awesome shades available on there. I was super excited to see that I would be receiving this in my bag this month. I love NYX products! 

This is a gorgeous silver, gunmetal color, that goes on easily. It dries down fairly quickly, too. I do wish this came in a pen form to make application a little bit easier but I will work with what I have! Swatches are below. 

First swatch is the NYX Vivid Brights Gunmetal eyeliner. The second swatch is the Noyah Lipstick in Currant News. The third swatch is the Balm Cosmetics Hot Mama Blush.

The overall value for my bag this month was only $27. I've definitely received higher value bags in the past, but having only paid $10 for this bag is still a good deal. I have to admit that this wasn't my favorite bag; however, it certainly wasn't the worst either. 

Let me know in the comments section below what items y'all received in your bags this month, and if we had similar items. If you haven't already signed up for Ipsy, then just follow the link below to get started today!

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=vhsxq

MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette from Kat Von D: Swatch and Review

Hey y'all! It's that time of year where every brand known to man is coming out with their holiday gift sets/ palettes. I normally don't give into the hype surrounding these limited edition holiday releases, because typically the quality isn't as good. HOWEVER, when I saw the MetalMatte Eyeshadow Palette release from Kat Von D, my will power wavered...A LOT! I wasn't going to order this at first, but boy, am I sure glad I did now!

My first thought when taking it out of the packaging was "Sweet dear Lord, this palette is HUGE!!"

There it is next to my head for reference. But if that doesn't do it for you, here is a picture of it next to the Too-Faced Chocolate Bar Palette.

I immediately thought this would be a pain in the neck to try and store, but after opening it up, I figured it could sit out on my vanity for ever and always, just so I could stare at it everyday. 

The outside packaging is pretty amazing too! Kat Von D actually did all of the art work for this palette!! The palette has a anagram on the front of it. When you hold it one way, it says Metal.

And when you flip the other way, it says Matte.

Pretty cool if I do say so myself!

On the inside, there is a huge mirror that spans the entirety of the palette, which is fantastic! Who doesn't love a nice, big mirror?!  This palette has a total of 22 shades, with 9 metallic shimmer shades, and 13 matte shades. 

The picture above shows all of the metallic, shimmer shades seen on the first row. These are finger swatches, done with ZERO primer underneath. I did notice, primarily with Nebula and Watt, that there was a little bit of staining left behind after I removed the swatches. They are smooth and buttery, with little to no fall-out. 

*Nebula-Metallic Navy

*Watt-Metallic Teal

*Ignite-Metallic Sea Foam

*Tinsel-Metallic Pewter

*Glitz-Metallic Rose Gold

*Twinkle-Metallic Lilac

*Volt-Metallic Violet

*Synergy-Metallic Bronze

*Flash-Metallic Gold

The swatches shown above are the first 4 matte shades on the bottom row. These, again, are finger swatches, done with absolutely no primer on underneath. Again, I had no complaints about these 4 particular shades. 

*Linen-Matte White

*Jet-Matte Black

*Velour-Matte Royal Blue

*Stone-Matte Cement Gray

These are the next 4 shades on the matte row. I did notice that Ribbon, the Matte purple shade, was a little patchy, and I had to build it up just the tiniest little bit. I also noticed that Fringe had a little bit more fall-out compared to the other shadows in the palette. 

*Moss-Matte Forest Green

*Ribbon-Matte Deep Purple

*Silk-Matte Terra Cotta

*Fringe-Matte Peach

These are the last 5 shades on the bottom matte row. Oak was also a little bit patchy, when I first applied it, and Suede had a small amount of fall-out with it, as well. 

*Feather-Matte Dandelion Yellow

*Oak-Matte Chocolate Brown

*Suede-Matte Fawn

*Bone-Matte Cream

*Velvet-Matte Deep Plum

Overall, I'm so happy that I purchased this palette! It is absolutely stunning, pigmented, and perfect! You can achieve any and every look with this. It is a holiday limited edition item, so if you're thinking about purchasing it, do it...soon! It retails for $60, which is a tad expensive, but when you look at how many shadows you get, and the blendablity and pigmentation of each, it's so worth it. If you only get one palette this season, get this! You won't regret it.

Thanks for reading everyone! Let me know in the comments section below if there are any other recent launches you would like me to review.

October 2016 Boxycharm Full Spoilers!

October is looking like it will be another fantastic month for Boxycharm. For those that don't know, Boxycharm is a $21/month beauty subscription service that sends 5-6  FULL SIZE beauty products each month. Nearly every box has a total value of over $100 worth of product in it. They also offer a rewards program where you can earn full sized products for free. This box does lean more towards the makeup side of beauty; however, they do include skincare/haircare, as well.

Above is the theme for October! It makes me think of AHS Freak Show! Anyone else agree??

For the month of October, All subscribers will be receiving 1 or 2 of the above shown products!

*Ofra Cosmetics Beverly Hills Highlighter- $39.95

*Cargo Cosmetics Swimmables Water Resistant Bronzer- $29

*Cargo Cosmetics BeachBlush- $30

*TEMPTU S/B Shimmer Bronzer- $29.50

What are you hoping to receive? I'm personally hoping to receive the Ofra Highlighter. I've been drooling over it for quite some time. I personally won't use the TEMPTU liquid bronzer, so I'm hoping I don't receive that. 

All subscribers will be receiving the Luxie Eye Blender Brush Pack! I personally love Luxie brushes, and I receive them all the time for subscription boxes. I'm slowly completing my collection thanks to Boxycharm!

All subscribers will be receiving a Starlooks Ultra-Matte Lip Paint! 

 

Everyone will also be receiving the IBY Beauty Three's Company Eye Shadow Trio.

The finally item that everyone will be receiving is the Briogeo Rosarco Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protection Creme. 

That's will be everything for the month of October. What do y'all think of these spoilers. Let me know in the comments section below, and if you aren't already subscribed, just click the link below to get started today!

https://boxycharm.com/refer/Katie-NXJHUJFS