Not Another LA Blonde

Tag: face mask

Ipsy – October 2017

Happy Monday y’all! I know I haven’t blogged in a while, I’ve just been feeling a little uninspired lately and am trying to get out of this little funk. I have so much respect for all the bloggers out there who work full time and still find time to blog; I’m struggling with that right now and am trying to find a better balance so I can do both with ease.

But here’s to trying to get back into the swing of things. Let’s talk about my OCTOBER IPSY BAG. I review what comes in my bag every month and I never seem to get the brands that I’ve chosen in my preferences, but this month I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the brands that were chosen at random for me!

If I’m being completely honest, every month when my bag comes I go back and forth on whether or not I want to continue subscribing or not. This was one of those months that makes me want to keep receiving my bag every month.

With all that being said, I’ll share with you what I got in my pouch this month:

For starters, the theme of this month’s bag was SPELLBOUND. The bag was cute; it was made to look like crimson and lace.

The Products:

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion Value for 0.8 g = $13.00

The full size liner retails for $20.00. This liner really does last all day! It glides on super smooth and I loved that it came in the black color (I hate when Ipsy gives you random colors like teal or purple). I normally only wear black liner so I loved that this was in my bag! I’ve also been wanting to try out other brands of eyeliner and have heard good things about Urban Decay. I look forward to getting more of this brand in my bag! This product can also be found at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Nordstrom.

TARTE delux lights, camera, lashes 4-in-1 mascara Value for 3 ml = $9.86

The full size mascara retails for $23.00. Lengthening. Curling. Volumizing. Conditioning. This mascara seriously makes your lashes look longer, fatter, and lifted in just a few quick strokes. The awesome “MagniLASH” wand was designed to coat separate, and define every lash. This formula is cruelty-free and totally vegan. I normally use Tarte mascara but recently ran out, so now I’m good for just a little bit longer. I love getting mascara samples in my bags! This mascara can be found at Sephora and Ulta.

Furless Black Beauty Blending Crease Brush Value = $11.99

FULL SIZE PRODUCT! This brush has teal bristles! How cute is that!? The dome shape gets into hard-to-reach spots and blends out color seamlessly. It’s so soft and is hypoallergenic, vegan and cruelty-free. I’m not always a huge fan of getting brushes so I’m actually super disappointed in this one especially since I just bought a new blending brush (oh well). I do really like how soft the brush is, so maybe I’ll keep this one for future use.

BLAQ Mask Value for 15 ml = $7.25

The full size of this primer (60 ml) retails for $29.00. This is literally like detox for your skin. Activated charcoal gets rid of toxins and impurities deep in your pores. This mask gets rid of blackheads super-fast and peels off easily. It only takes 15 minutes to work its magic. LIFESAVER!!! I love this mask so much! Just put it on the sections of your face that you feel you need a detox on (for me it’s my nose!). I will definitely be buying this product once I’m done with the sample. BLAQ is an Australian skincare brand designed to take prime position on your bathroom vanity.

JM Solution Water Luminous Jelly Cleanser Value for 1 oz = $4.93

The full size of this primer (5.07 oz) retails for $25.00. This jelly-like formula felt so refreshing on our skin, and then bubbled up like crazy when we mixed it with water. It’s made with hyaluronic acid which helps keep your skin hydrated even after you wash it off. It deep cleans, but it’s way gentle so you can use it all the time – perf if you have sensitive skin. This cleanser can be found at GILT and is currently on sale for $18, but is sold out (so check back)! I really liked this product as well!

For the month of OCTOBER, the bag is worth about $47.03. There was only one full size product this month,but the $10 you pay for the bag is such a steal! This bag is actually lower than other bags I’ve received, but I’d rather have product I like for a lower value than things I don’t like at a higher value.

The cost of the box every month is $10 + tax and free shipping. So for 5 products (one of which should be full size, the low price is a pretty good bargain. The bag is great if you’re looking to try out different products that you may not currently use.

Another perk to the bag is that almost every product that comes in your bag also has a discount code for that brand! So not only do you get a great product, you can also buy the full size at a cheaper price.

To subscribe to Ipsy use my referral link to discover new brands/products that you might come to love that you wouldn’t otherwise try!

XOXO

p.s Let me know if you got anything different that you absolutely loved!

October 30, 2017
Target Beauty Box: July
Happy Thursday!! Thank goodness it’s almost the weekend; it’s just been one of those weeks that seems like you have a million things to do but not enough time! For instance…this post, I got my box in the mail about a week ago and I’m only just now getting around writing about it.

The Target Beauty Box is a one-time purchase monthly box that includes deluxe and full-sized beauty products that you can find at Target and of course other retailers.

The box varies in price from $7-$10 so it’s relatively inexpensive to purchase a box. This month the box was $7! I like that you can choose every month if you want to buy the box or not since it’s not an actual subscription.

Here is a BREAKDOWN of the JULY goodies:
1. Scunci Cashmere Headwraps (Black & Charcoal) – Value for 2 = $2.00
You can buy a pack of 6 headbands for only $6 at Target! Taking comfort to a whole new level! Feel the difference with just one touch of these Super Soft Comfy headwraps. The thicker, black and grey headbands were included in my box. Normally I would love these, but I have about a million of these in my drawer. I also have fine, thin hair so these tend to slip easily and never stay in place while I’m working out. These are perfect if you have the right shape head or really thick hair that keeps things in place.
1. e.l.f. Illuminating Mist & Set – Value for 2.02 oz. = $3.00
This is a full size product!!! This fine mist creates a natural glow on the skin with ultra-fine, light-reflecting particles for an instant illuminating effect. Infused with Vitamin A, C, E, and Green Tea to help hydrate, nourish, and brighten the complexion for a healthy looking radiance. The lightweight, comfortable formula is perfect for all skin tones. Helps improve makeup wearability and prevent color from running or fading. I don’t actually use setting spray, in fact I currently have an unopened MAC one in my makeup drawer at home. I think that this spay would be good because it is inexpensive and I know a lot of people who rave about not only this brand, but this product as well.
1. John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon – Value for 0.15 oz. = $0.20
The full size, 4 oz. bottle of this is $5.39. The sample size I got is probably only big enough for one use. Instantly smooths hair and camouflages frizzy ends for a flawless, shiny finish. Use anytime, anywhere. This was one of the only products that I was truly disappointed by. I don’t have frizzy hair and have never had the need to use this type of product before. This is definitely one that I will not be using.
1. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer – Value for 0.25 oz. = $2.65
A full, 1.7 oz. jar retails for $17.99 in store. This is a refreshing, lightweight water gel that instantly quenches and continuously hydrates skin. This sample size seemed very tiny to me! I like and use a lot of Neutrogena product, so when I saw this I was excited to try it out. I tried this out one morning as a day moisturizer, but I would recommend using at night since it has a little bit of a smell to it. I only used it once since the sample was so small, but for the price I would buy this product to use on a regular basis. I liked the way this felt smooth on my skin and it didn’t feel thick even wearing it under makeup. I would recommend this product to be used at night before bed.
1. Que Bella Limited Edition Duo – Dead Sea Mud & Pineapple Peel Off –Value for 2 = $2.00 (approximate)
These masks usually run from about $1.99-$2.99 depending on which one you buy. Two masks nourish, firm and refresh skin with Dead Sea minerals, vitamin C and amino acids. I couldn’t find these 2 online, but I know that they were limited edition so they may be sold out already. I like this brand and have used many of their masks before, so I was excited to see these in my box. The Replenishing Dead Sea mud mask and the hydrating pineapple peel off mask both left my face feeling refreshed and like I didn’t just have a breakout a few days earlier. I love masks and I love this brand so I would recommend to anyone who asked!
1. Secret Cool Waterlily Clear Gel Deodorant – Value for 0.5 oz. = $1.06
A full, 2.6 oz. deodorant retails for $5.49. Quick-dry deodorant with new, reactivating scent technology offers long-lasting odor protection. This is the perfect size for my gym bag! The scent is great because it’s not overwhelming but you still smell fresh. I usually switch my deodorants between Secret and Men’s deodorant so that my body doesn’t get too used to one type.
1. ACURE Day Cream – Value for 1 oz. = $9.70
A full, 1.75 oz. tube of day cream retails for $16.99. face the day with gotu kola extract and chlorella. This powerhouse combo helps moisturize and protect with a one-two punch. Honestly, in my opinion, this brand tends to have a funky smell to their products. I’m not sure if it’s just the ones that I’ve used, but I really didn’t want to take any chances with this one so I didn’t bother to try it out. I’ll see if any of my friends want this product because I have a few who love this brand.
1. Neutrogena Make-Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes – Value = $1.47
This is actually considered full size since they do sell a 7 pack of wipes in store! This size is perfect for traveling or for throwing into your gym bag for on-the-go purposes. Dissolve dirt, oil and makeup (even waterproof mascara!) for clean, fresh skin in one easy step. I love getting things like this in my boxes because then I never have to buy my makeup removing wipes at full price! I use these daily after my workouts during lunch time. These don’t irritate my face and they don’t dry out my face either.

THE VALUE

The value of this July Beauty Box is approximately $22.08. Since this box was only $7.27 including tax and shipping (I have free shipping + 5% off with my Target Debit Card) this is a great deal! There were 8 items in my box this month and 2 were full-sized items. This is perfect for trying out a new product that you may not normally purchase.

I think this box is a great deal and I love trying new products every month! I also love the fact that if I don’t like the box one month, I don’t have to buy it! The only thing is if you want the box, you have to be quick because they do sell out every month. I can’t wait to see what will be in the August box!

XOXO

P.S. If you see something that you like/want feel free to check out my Mercari app to see if I’m selling any of the products I didn’t want. If I can’t find friends that want any of the goodies I’m not a fan of, I try to sell it!

*Any products I sell on my page are 100% unused/unopened (if sealed) and 100% authentic*
July 20, 2017
FabFitFun Spring 2017 Box

Good Morning y’all! Ok so I know I haven’t posted in QUITE A WHILE but I’m still here and I just received my Spring FabFitFun Box. So what better way to end my little absence than with a post about my box?

I was super excited when this came in the mail especially since wasn’t too thrilled with the winter box. I am signed up for the yearly subscription, so I knew 3 of the items I would be getting. But that definitely doesn’t take any of the surprise away when I open the box!

Here is everything that came in my box including my Add-ons which I will talk about in another post.

Ok, so here is what came in my Spring 2017 box:

GYPSY 05 Beach Roundie – Retails $50

This was one of the items that I already knew I was getting and was able to pick the pattern that I wanted. It is a round beach blanket with a tassel trim and mine has a great spring time pattern to it. It is 100% cotton and has a diameter of 62.5 inches. So basically I’m really excited that this was one of the items in this season’s box! I’ve been eyeing these online for quite a while and the one time I went to purchase one, it was sold out; I guess that was fate telling me to just wait it out. These roundies are perfect for taking to the beach or for a nice picnic in your own backyard. I can’t wait to use my roundie for all my adventures this summer. Their website has so many different options to choose from and they’re all so cute!

BRIOGEO Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioning Spray – Retails $20

Does your hair need some extra love? This ultra-lightweight spray is fortified with a unique blend of rosehip, argan, and coconut oils to improve hair’s softness, strength, and moisture levels, while acting as a barrier against heat. The tip FabFitFun gives is to use this after your shower when your hair is clean and still damp and then style like you normally would. I’ve used other products like this before, and normally I’m not a fan of deep/leave-in conditioners, but I do like this one! I like that I could just spray it on and style my hair like normal. I also liked that I didn’t have to stand in the shower forever and then rinse it out. This product is a decent price and I would definitely consider buying it when I run out of the bottle I got. You can also purchase this at Sephora!

MILLY Zip Pouch in Beach Please – Retails $45

Water resistant bag! This bag is the perfect size for stuffing your wet bikini in after a day of fun in the sun. I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep this when I first opened my box, but then I realized that it is great for transporting my wet bikini from my fiancés house back to my house after a day in the pool! It is also a pretty good size (10 1/4”x 8”) and would also work well for traveling and putting all those liquids in one spot rather than in 50 million little bags. This particular one is apparently not in stock, but they have plenty of other ones to choose from.

DR. BRANDT Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator – Retails $79

Reveal radiant and renewed skin! This formula contains aluminum oxide crystals, lactic acid, and smoothing botanicals to polish away dead cells and leave you with bright, smooth, healthy-looking skin. I LOVE to try new facial cleansers and was happy to find this in my box! I love the way my face felt after using this to wash my face before bed and then again in the morning. I obviously wouldn’t pay almost $80 for a face wash, so it will be a nice little luxury to use until I run out.

KARUNA Hydrating + Face Mask -Retails $28

This is a deep conditioning sheet mask. It allows pores to fully absorb essential nutrients and nourishing ingredients for ultimate hydration. I’m not a huge fan of sheet masks because, more times than not, they are WAY too big for my face and they leave too much residue for my liking. I’m not 100% sure that I will use this product so maybe one of my mask loving friends would like this. This product can be purchased as a single or in a 4-pack and can be bought online (see link) or through places like Sephora and Ulta.

REALHER Lip Kit in Neutral Pink -Retails $48

This product is made from natural ingredients, this liquid lipstick, plumping lip gloss, and lip liner trio are so pretty you’ll be kissing the mirror before you leave the house! I got the pink set and I have to say it is the perfect shade of pink; it is really natural looking and not gaudy at all. The pigment is great and the color was long lasting, I didn’t have to worry about reapplying while I was wearing this! Definitely my new go-to item.

DEBORAH LIPPMANN Nail Polish Set in Blue Orchid/Like a Virgin -Retails $19

These two nail polishes are a light cream color and a light kind of blue color, perfect for spring time. I’m not really a huge fan of receiving nail polishes in my boxes since I only do gel on my nails or nothing at all. (Who has time to wait for regular polish to dry anyway?) When I opened the bottle to take a look at it, it seemed like it was a pretty thin formula and would probably need quite a few coats to get a good color going. Unfortunately, I won’t be using this particular product, so maybe I can find someone who loves nail polish!

EMERALD DUV “Joshua Tree” Cage Bracelet -Retails $80

Can I start by saying…Wow the price of this bracelet is crazy! I would never pay that much for a bracelet! Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, this is a cute bracelet and I’m glad this was one of the things I got to choose in my box. The other option was these crawler earrings, and I’m not really a huge earing fan. This bracelet is a super cute cage style and was made in the USA. This will be perfect for dressing up or even wearing to work. It will be cute either on its own or paired with other stackable bracelets. This item is currently out of stock, but I attached the link to the website so you can take a look at all the other jewelry they offer.

BONUS ITEMS:

Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies – Retails $4.99

Nature’s Bounty Hair, Skin & Nails Gummies provide you with the vital nutrients your body needs to support your natural beauty from within. Vitamin E and Vitamin C are antioxidants. Vitamin E contributes to skin health, and Vitamin C is involved in collagen production and formation, which forms the basis for vibrant skin. Biotin helps to maintain healthy hair. I have used these before so I am familiar with the product, but this was a great bonus item in my opinion. They literally don’t taste like vitamins at all and I love that they’re in gummy form!

NEW Burt’s Bees Protein Powder in Vanilla -Retail $2.99 (for a single pouch)

This is a sample size of Burt’s Bees new protein powder. I can’t wait to try this out and see how it works. It contains 15 grams of plant-based protein and includes 1/3 cup of real fruits and vegetables per serving. It also contains antioxidants – Vitamins A, C and E.

The total value for this box is $377.00 including the two bonus items, which to me is such a great deal for the price of the box! I’m really excited to continue using the items in my Spring box, but I can’t wait to see what the Summer box has to offer!

To subscribe to FabFitFun AND get $10 OFF, use my referral link to get in on all the fun that FFF has to offer!! You won’t regret it!

FFF is great because if you decide that you no longer want to receive the box, you can unsubscribe at any time!

XOXO

P.S. Let me know your thoughts on the Fall Box! I can’t wait to hear about your fav product!

May 4, 2017