Not Another LA Blonde

Tag: moisturizer

  • November 2016: Ipsy

    November 2016: Ipsy

    OK, so I’m super lame and missed my own personal deadline for posting about the glambag in November!

    I got my bag at the beginning of November and have tried almost all of the items!

    Let’s get to the good stuff and I’ll share with you what I got in my pouch this month:

    For starters, the theme of this month’s bag was ROCKSTARLET. The bag was cute with with cosmetic constellations.

    The Products:

    Leaders Cosmetics USA Aloe Soothing Renewal Mask & Aquaringer Treatment Mask Value = $10

    They are $5 each. Ipsy says that they are perfect for the winter blues! I used both of them and honestly don’t know how I feel.  They were both pretty goopy when I took it out of the package and put it on my face. At first I thought that was fine and that it would soak into my face or dry up a little bit. When I took it off after 15 min, the directions said to rub in the leftover serum. There was soo much stuff left on my face that I had to get a tissue and rub a little off before I could go to bed!

    Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner deluxe in Black Value = $18      

    This eyeliner was nice, nothing exceptionally great about it, but it was easy to use. It glided onto the eyelid smoothly and lasted all day. As for purchasing this product on my own, I don’t think I would. There are a lot of other liquid eyeliners out there that do the same thing for less money!

    Pūr~lisse Blue Lotus Balancing Moisturizer Value for 0.5oz = $16

    This moisturizer retails for $55 for a 1.7oz tube! This product is meant to hydrate the skin just enough without overly hydrating.

    tarte cosmetics Maracuja Oil Value for 7 ml = $7

    The full size of this size bottle at Sephora retails at $15. This oil “targets indivisual skin concerns and delivers balanced moisture for firmer, brighter, and smoother-looking skin.” I personally am not a huge fan of oils, so I can’t give an accurate review for this.

    theBalm Mad Lash Mascara Value for 2.5 ml= $5.63

    For a full mascara, this retails for $18. This product was just ok in my opinion. It was a little too goopy and didn’t make my lashes look any longer. I think that I will stick to the mascaras that make my lashes look longer/fuller! The other thing that I didn’t really like was the shape of the brush. It was a large curve brush that kind of made a mess on my eyes and I had to clean up the area.

    While I can’t pinpoint an exact price of the products in the whole bag, I’ve figured that the bag is worth at least $56 (just a super rough estimate, not sure if the eyeliner was full size or not)! I think that it is fairly accurate, so the $10 you pay for the bag is such a steal!

    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.

    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!

  • Target October Beauty Box

    Target October Beauty Box

    This is my third Target box and I am really liking what I am seeing from these boxes so far! I love that there are both sample and full size products. This is the October box, and I know it is December now, but I am trying to get all caught up with everything!

    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.

    Here is a BREAKDOWN of the OCTOBER goodies:

    1. Derma-e Hydrating  Day Creme– Value for 0.5oz = $6.50

    This cream retails for $25.99 for a full 2oz size jar. This moisturizer is made to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. It is ideal for dry skin that needs long-lasting moisture throughout the day. This product is great becasue it is 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, mineral oil-free, lanolin-free, gluten-free, and GMO-free. In all honesty, I didn’t like this product because of the way it smelled and it felt a little thick to be putting on my face for daytime use.

     

    2. Laneige BB Cushion – Value for 0.21oz = $27.20

    This is just a sample size, but the full 1.05oz size retails for $34. This sample came with 4 little samples of each color that they offer which is pretty cool. I don’t use a product like this on a normal basis so I’m glad that I was able to try it through the box. While I did like the product, I probably wouldn’t buy it for $34!


    3. ChapStick Total Hydration in Rose Petal – Value = $4.99

    This is a chapstick with a tint to it. I personaly didn’t like it because I felt that it left too much color on my lips to be used as a chapstick. It did go on smoothly and felt very moisturizing, but I won’t be using it again. I gave this to my mom since I opened and used it already and she LOVES this chapstick!

    4. Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer– Value for 2oz = $1.24

    The full size 10oz bottle retails for $6.19. This was kind of weird for me because you put it on while you are still wet from the shower. It is a quick absorbing formula that blends with water to lock in the hydration. When I tried this, it was weird because it just felt like I was putting lotion on my wet skin but then when I dried off it felt a little sticky. After getting dressed and going about my day I realized that it did indeed feel like I had actually put lotion on! My skin felt soft and moisturized! I will definitely look into buying a full size. 

    5. Eden Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner – Value 2oz = $3.90 for both 

    A full 8oz bottle of the shampoo is $7.79 and the full 8oz bottle of conditioner is also $7.79. This shampoo refreshes the scalp and stimulates the hair follicles. It is supposed to remove all traces of dirt and oil build up. it helps to alleviate dry, itchy scalp. The conditioner is fortified with proteins to decrease split ends and softens hair for less tangles. Both the shampoo and conditioner smell extremely peppermint-y and remind me a lot of Christmas time! The shampoo was ok, nothing special, but with the conditioner I felt like I had to use a lot more than I normally would. It didn’t really do a great job of untangling my hair when I combed it out. I’m not sure I would buy either in the full size. 

    6. Wet n Wild proline Graphic Marker Eyeliner in  Black – Value = $3.99

    This is a full size item that came in the Beauty Box! I was hoping that this would be easy to use, but it has a slanted tip which I have no clue how to even use that correctly! I wish that this had been easier to use because I definitely would have used it.


    THE VALUE

    The value of this October Beauty Box is about $48. Since you only pay $10.00 plus shipping (mine was free + 5% off since I have a Target Debit Card) this is a great deal! For this particular box, it had 3 full size items and the rest deluxe size which is perfect for trying out a new product that you may not normally buy.

    I think this box is a great deal and I’m looking forward to buying them every month!

    XOXO

  • Target September Beauty Box

    Target September Beauty Box

    I’ve seen these boxes for sale online at Target before, but never had the chance to purchase one as they sell out very quickly! I got lucky this time and was able to snag one (my mom was not so lucky and didn’t get one).

    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.

    Here is what came in the September Box

    Here is a BREAKDOWN of the goodies:

    1. Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream – Value = $12.80

    This cream retails for $32 for a full size jar. This is a hydro-ionized mineral water and Biogen technology that strengthens skin and provides 24 hours of continuous hydration. I used this at night after washing my face and putting a serum on. I felt that it left my face feeling a little greasy (for lack of better word) but since I was going to bed, it didn’t matter. I think that it did make my face feel a little softer, but since my mom has been wanting to try this out forever, I let her have this item. I honestly can’t imagine me or my mom buying the full size jar for $32, which is unfortunate because I liked it enough to use again.

    2. Rimmel The Only 1 Lipstick in – Value = $6.99

    This is an all-in-one lipstick that goes on effortlessly for the perfect balance of high-impact color, moisture and all-day wear. To be completely honest, I’m not much of a lipstick gal so I don’t think I’ll be using this product. The color seemed nice and not too bright. it glided on smooth like chapstick and didn’t leave that sticky feeling that a lip gloss does.

     

    Here is is swatched on my wrist

    3. S.W. Basics Organic Lip Balm in Citrus – Value = $5.00

    Made with all-natural organic ingredients to moisturize and heal lips without leaving a sticky, waxy feeling. I have never heard of this brand before so I am glad that I was able to try it out! It glided on smoothly and definitely didn’t leave that sticky feeling that a lot of chapsticks tend to do. I received the citrus flavor and it felt refreshing on my lips. I am normally a Burt’s Bees wearer, and I probably will continue to be since I can usually find them for about $3.00 at places like Nordstrom Rack. $5.00 is kind of a lot for me to spend on 1 chapstick alone.

    4. EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Deep Conditioner – Value = $1.00

    The full size 16oz jar retails for $8.59. All-natural botanical formula restores and strengthens over-processed or damaged hair. This product is paraben and sulfate free! I haven’t had time to use this product yet, but after opening the pouch, I found the product to be thick. Since I have pretty fine hair, I think that I can get quite a few uses out of this sample bag. I regularly get my hair colored and highlighted so I can’t wait to try this out as the bleach tends to make my hair break easier.

    5. OGX Renewing Coconut Milk Conditioner – Value = $1.00

    This product has a price range of $5.79 – $10.99 depending on if you buy the 13 oz or 25.4 oz bottle. Lightly scented, creamy coconut milk formula helps to strengthen hair while leaving it soft & shiny. This conditioner smells SOO good!! I went out of town this weekend and packed this in my overnight bag and am so glad that I did. It left my hair feeling silky and soft to the touch as well as smelling great all day! I will most definitely be purchasing this in the full size very soon.

    6. Biore Baking Soda Cleanser – Value = $1.00

    A full size bottle of this retails for $5.99. Made with baking soda and pH balanced to gently exfoliate and deep-clean pores. I also took this on my little weekend getaway and I liked the way my face felt after washing it with this. I felt like my face felt clean and refreshed. I would love to buy this in the full size and use it on a regular basis.

    7. Maybelline The Fasies Push Up Drama Mascara – Value = $7.49

    Innovative cup-shaped bristles scoop, lift and volumize lashes for an ultra-dramatic look in just one sweep. This is my mom’s absolute favorite mascara, so being a good daughter, I gave it to her! Let me tell you though, she has super thin/short eyelashes and after she puts this on, it looks like she has long lashes. It doesn’t quite give the false eyelash look shown on the package, but she likes that it doesn’t clump up when applying and it lasts a long time even when using it every day.

    THE VALUE

    The value of this September Beauty Box is about $35.28. Since you only pay $10.00 plus shipping (mine was free + 5% off since I have a Target Debit Card) this is a great deal! For this particular box, it had 3 full size items and the rest deluxe size which is perfect for trying out a new product that you may not normally buy.

    I think this box is a great deal and I’m bummed I haven’t tried it out sooner! I can definitely say that I will be purchasing this box again in the future as long as it is not sold out!

    XOXO