year in review: ipsy glambags 2016

 

hi guys! here's my year in review of my ipsy bags*! going through to make this post, i've realized that i forgot about a ton of the products i've received this year. if they're things that can be used up, i'll try to mention them in future empties posts, if i can tolerate keeping them long enough... anyway, enjoy!  ~Lin-chan ^.~

january

1. theBalm mr. write (now) in jac b. bronze -- this actually became an instant favorite. doesn't smudge, i loved the color and the lasting power, and i'd definitely recommend this!
2. hikari cosmetics cream metallic pigment shadow in mink -- i wasn't a fan with my intital testing, so i passed it along.
• product was given away
3. skone cosmetics smudger brush -- i kept forgetting about this brush. i'm not huge into smudging unless i'm trying to set my lower liner with a similar color..which i'm usually too lazy to do on the daily, thus i haven't really used this guy.
4. ofra cosmetics universal eyebrow pencil -- after trying this on many occasions, i could never figure this product out. it was very waxy which was great, but the way it applied and looked on the skin was awful for me. it was as if you were using a porous crayon on a sheet of paper..and there were like random splotchy parts... yeah. no.
• product was given away
5. lasting smiles lip balm in peppermint creme -- this is an ok lip balm. haven't fully decided, but i think it makes me chappy.

february

1. smashbox photo finish primer oil -- the concept of this product weirds me out, so i gave it away.
• product was given away
2. luxie beauty flat definer brush 221 -- this probably would be great for liner, since it's super stiff and thin..but i'm too lazy to use gel liners lately, so i haven't gotten around to using this brush either.
3. naked cosmetics mica pigment in sierra nevada -- i ended up pressing some of this into an empty eyeshadow pan, since i'm not as big into loose pigments, but it's pretty and i've been enjoying using it.
4. vintage by jessica liebeskind sparkling lip gloss in pink sequin -- this is such a gorgeous and mesmerizing gloss! if you're considering it, it's totally worth every penny. 
5. mor emporium classics hand & body lotion in candied vanilla -- this was such a super sweet smelling lotion and i loved it! the formula was very nice and i'm interested in getting more, but not necessarily right away.
• product was finished
6. burts bees facial cleansing oil -- redeemed points to give this to a friend
• product was given away

march

1. marc anthony nourishing argan oil of morocco 3 day smooth perfect blow dry cream -- i ended up deciding i didn't need additional hair products and gave this away before trying it out.
• product was given away
2. NoTS 28 remedy balancing toner -- i ended up not using this and decided to give it away.
• product was given away
3. pixi beauty beauty blush duo in rose gold -- ipsy ended up responding pretty quickly after i emailed them about the broken blush duo and sent a replacement. i ended up mixing up my original one and pressing it back into the pan. which was perfectly fine with me, because i don't know how they expected people to fit a brush into half of this pan to get each color. anyway, mixed together, it's a very pretty pink highlight.
• replacement product was given away
4. nyx cosmetics lip suede in pink lust -- oh ye~ah! this color!
• product was given away
5. manna kadar 3 in 1 blush highlighter eyeshadow in fantasy -- this is such a pretty  highlighter, i'm so happy with it!
6. befine exfoliating cleanser -- this is a pretty nice cleanser. it's nice and gritty from the brown sugar but it lathers up a little as you work it in. only issue i have with it is that it's sugar and i'd have to keep this out of the shower to keep it from melting.

april

1. buxom wildly whipped lightweight liquid lipstick in centerfold -- this formula was a bit weird, but i liked the color. at some point, i need to try this again and make a decision on it.
2. nudestix lip + cheek pencil in mystic -- this made it into my lippy drawer and hasn't come out. i probably should take it out and try using it sometime!
3. l.a.b.² - live and breathe beauty just blending in brush -- this brush was a bit too fluffy and flexible for my taste. i'd prefer if it were more stiff and didn't bend and splay so easily while i would blend eyeshadows.
• product was given away
4. ren evercalm global protection day cream -- i'm not huge on the scent, never ended up using it, and gave it away.
• product was given away
5. pur-lisse blue lotus + white tea sheet mask & blue lotus + seaweed sheet mask -- i didn't actually use either of these! these made it into my sheet mask drawer and i forgot about them! >.< i'll have to use them and update you all in an empties post.

may

1. smashbox x-rated mascara -- while i did like how this mascara looked, i didn't like that it was very difficult to remove.
• product was given away
2. pacifica natural mineral coconut eyeshadow trio in natural beauty (skinny dip, crush, lovely) -- i didn't really use this shadow much, even though it is quite pretty. at some point i should probably make a decision with it...
3. hikari cosmetics shimmer bronzer in radiate -- despite how pretty this is, i decided i'd pass it along. it's a bit too much for my skintone mixed together and i have enough similar colors that i probably won't be reaching for this as an eyeshadow.
• product was given away
4. <eva nyc hungry hair oil treatment -- this product lasted me quite a while because it was so potent. but on that note, i'm not interested in repurchasing because of the consistency and i like the products i already have.
• product was finished
5. the organic pharmacy antioxidant lip balm -- i was not a fan of this formula. it's too thin and doesn't linger very long.
• product was given away

june

1. urban decay eyeshadow in fireball -- i haven't really used this shadow much, but it's super pretty! i'm not sure how much i like this type of shade on my skin.
2. formula x nail polish in wingwoman -- i love formula x polishes. they're great and they don't chip as quickly on me as most other brands. i think i've mentioned it on here before, but i'm not a huge fan of cream polishes since they tend to have visible streaks, and i'm not into coraly reds either.
• product was given away
3. seraphine botanicals happy hibiscus blush -- this blush was really hard to work with, i'm not sure if it was the size or the actual formula of the product, but i didn't like it.
• product was given away
4. royal & langnickel moda crease/smudge brush -- i never really got around to using this brush. because of its design, i'm more inclined to use the crease brush since i'm not much of a smudger.
5. delectable by cake beauty everything balm -- this stuff was weird and i didn't really know what to do with it really. so i passed it along.
• product was given away
6. benjabelle brush cleansing balm -- i'm still in the process of using this up, but it's a pretty good brush cleaner. i've been primarily using it for my smaller brushes with powder (not cream) in them and they've been coming out nice and clean.

july

1. elizabeth mott show me your cheeks blush in peach pink -- i ended up giving this away because the payoff wasn't that good. like it looked really pretty and nars orgasm-esque in the pan, but it may as well have been a highlighter. no pink showed up for me.
• product was given away
2. trust fund beauty nail polish in no filter -- applying this, i was super impressed with how it was one coat and go, and it quickly self-leveled. this shade however looks like death on my skintone. so this is going to get passed along.
• product was given away
3. theBalm meet matt(e)trimony eyeshadow in matt kumar -- i haven't really used this too much, but the one or two times i did, i enjoyed this shade in the outer corner.
4. befine night cream -- the scent of this is super weird. like i can definitely tell that it's a rice type scent, but millet...i'm not totally sure.. granted, when i had birds, i never sniffed their food, lol! the cream itself is relatively light and feels nice, but i'm not sure why this is considered a night cream, but whatever.
• product was given away
5. model launcher cosmetics felt tip eyeliner in emerald isle -- i'm not sure that this would be opaque enough for my liking, but it seems like it might be a good liner.
• product was given away
6. kiesque liquid palisade -- i was very impressed by this product, and i'm definitely interested in purchasing similar products in the future.

august

1. ciaté london paint pot in dangerous affair -- this was a really pretty color. i don't remember what wear time i got with it, but maybe 3 days?
2. it cosmetics no tug waterproof  gel eyeliner -- omg this liner guys. i really like this liner and bought full sizes!
• product was finished
3. peter lamas supreme radiance complexion booster -- i gave this away because it weirded me out too much.
• product was given away
4. winky lux diamond complexion powder in light -- i still have this and have used it a couple times to help with eyeshadow blending. this thing is too freakin small to actually attempt using it for my whole face.
5. this works in transit camera close-up -- this wasn't my cup of tea. the scent was off putting and i'm not too sure about its claims. so i gave it away.
• product was given away

september

1. it cosmetics superhero mascara in super black -- i really liked how this mascara made my lashes look thicker, longer, and falsie-ish? super good, totally recommend, and plan to repurchase at some point.
• product was finished
2. buff her house of exfoliation vanilla almond crumbles -- haven't had a chance to get around to using this either.. need to remember where i even put it...... but it is basically like a powder cleanser that you apply to a wet face.
3. nuxe moisturizing mask creme fraiche de beaute -- i was not having it for this scent.
• product was given away
4. coastal scents elite bamboo collection medium shadow brush -- i forgot i even received this brush! i'll have to give it a go.
5. tre'StiQue mini highlight stick in maldives luminescent -- this is a really pretty highlight color. i have yet to actually use it on my face though.

october

1. makeup forever ultra hd invisible cover foundation in Y225 -- i actually already had a sample of this shade which is ok, but a little light for me. if i decide to get this foundation, i'll probably go up a shade or two.
• product was given away for a friend to try
2. kokie cosmetics nail polish in heavenly -- this color is death. so i passed it along.
• product was given away
3. pure brazilian leave in miracle -- i wasn't a fan of this product. the scent was weird and i didn't feel like it did anything for me.
• product was given away
4. essence cosmetics superfine eyeliner pen waterproof  -- i was not a fan of this liner. its waterproofness sucked, it flaked on me and irritated my eyes. no thanks.
• product was given away
5. teeez cosmetics eve's ready to wear lipstick in romantic red -- this is such a pretty red and has super fun packaging. only problem is that i don't typically wear reds.... and this one leans a bit more orange when i prefer blue-based ones.

november

1. ofra cosmetics brightening banana powder -- i haven't gotten around to using this yet. i wish these ofra products came in containers instead of the refill pans, because i don't always grab the z palette that i keep this guy in.
2. benefit cosmetics the porefessional -- saving this product for travel! i love this primer, but not so much the price of it!
3. elizabeth mott color is bae in moxie mauve -- was not into this product, and its lasting power was weird.
• product was given away
4. formula x polish in huntress -- i'm really sad that i haven't gotten a chance to try this polish out. it's a bit difficult for me to use this shade because it's not really business appropriate.. or maybe borderline... i'm not sure and need to swatch test it.
5. delectable by cake beauty sweet mint & cream hand cream -- this is a nice hand cream. i just suck at using hand creams. but i'll keep trying!

december

1. royal and langnickel moda angle shader brush -- i keep forgetting about this lil brush. or i haven't been home to remember that i even have it... anyway, i'm sure this'll be pretty good for blending the crease, or applying lid color.
2. marc anthony deep hydrating treatment -- still in the process of using this product. it's nice, but i'm probably not going to repurchase since there's other products i like better.
3. nyx prismatic eyeshadow in bedroom eyes -- i'm passing this guy along, seeing as though i bought this shade just after they came out! 
• product was given away
4. tarte tartiest glossy lip paint in wcw -- this is a pretty nice size for me to test out this formula. i'm not huge into glosses lately mostly because of the texture and feel. but this one isn't too bad. i need to use it a bit more to see if i want to keep it though.
5. aurora intensively precise eyeliner blackberry -- i need to actually remember to try this liner out. like i tried it before showering one time to test the color and irritation level out, and i thought it was pretty good. but that was for only like an hour. so i need to remember to test this over the course of a couple days.