I’ve used up a bunch of stuff–what did I think, would I repurchase, should you get on board?–let’s find out together!
Sudzz, AquaFix® Hydrating Conditioner: I’ve been using this conditioner for years! I’ve tried other samples and things but I always come back. I get it from my salon, coleighco.com It has already been repurchased.
DevaCurl, WAVE MAKER™ Touchable Texture Whip: I kinda liked this stuff. It was easy to pack when I traveled for work and was really light but kept my hair manageable. I haven’t repurchased yet because I have a ton of hair stuff right now. But I would pick it up again.
I’ve had a 20% off coupon for Ulta sitting in my inbox for what feels like a brief lifetime! I keep trying to ignore it but it calls to me.
I’m not sure why the Sephora 20% off sale gets so much more buzz when Ulta is actually the better place to purchase your unnecessary beauty supplies.
At least with Ulta you can pretend it’s a better deal since you earn real live cash back.
Those 500 point Sepohora gifts are fun but let’s be real–do you ever really use them? I feel like I have a small collection of them waiting for attention that may never come. Or I do open them and end up tripping on tiny containers of undereye creams that are escaping on my bathroom floor.
There’s also that sick moment of realization–I’ve spent $500 and all I got were these goofy samples I could get for free if I just walked into an actual Sephora and asked for one. (i usually make myself feel better by telling myself i purchased a lot of items during double or triple point promos. you do what you gotta do.)
I wish I could be disciplined like Pamela and legit stick to a spending freeze–especially since I JUST spent too much on clothing in CPH.
But I also can’t let a good 20% off code go to waste. And it expires tomorrow.
So help a girl out. These are some items I’m looking at throwing into my online cart.
Yay? Nay? Be a good friend and help me edit some–or all–of these things out:
I just got back on Sunday from a week-long trip to Copenhagen to visit one of my besties.
I’ve been to Denmark a lot–I think this was my 8th trip!–I really love my friend, and CPH.
And after that first trip in 2003, I’ve found shopping in Copenhagen really changed my thinking about clothes, opened up my fashion palette and expanded my personal style to be more adventurous with shapes and silhouettes.
It really feels like shopping in the future. You tend to see a lot of trends before they break in the US.
My love of jumpsuits happened with my first purchase of a fantastic grey strapless number in 2010 that is still one of the favorite things I own.
my first night out with erin in my jumpsuit from the future, 2010
But as experienced as I feel I am at shopping when visiting Erin–I still make rookie mistakes–and have a thing or two to learn.
So if you have an upcoming European adventure or an Epic work trip, here are some ways you can learn from my mistakes and find the best pieces to maximize your European–or any–shopping experience!
I hadn’t heard of Fabletics–or even Kate Hudson’s affiliation–until the winter of 2015, when a lovely lady in a musical I was working on recommended it to me. She had recently joined and was really digging it. She was in the process of becoming a yoga instructor and needed new outfits and found it to be both a good deal and liked the product.
Strangely, it had been years since I had purchased workout gear. Not since Jess and I had started running together and I went through a serious Nike phase had I acquired any new pieces. Which at the time, was probably five years earlier. So the timing was right for her recommendation to really register with me.
me running in my favorite Nike running capris in 2013. *photo courtesy of the best running partner ever, Jess Boggs
Plus I like trying new things AND love getting mail! So honestly–it wasn’t a hard sell.
I recently traveled to Las Vegas with a friend of friend for said friend’s birthday. While we had certainly met before, I didn’t know her that well, but we bonded over our obsession for all things makeup. (and she’s a reader!! thanks, anna!!)
We were going over our makeup stash and she casually mentioned how great it will be when Colourpop starts being carried at Sephora. Not likely, I said. But then she looks at me–in the serious nature this kind of information requires–and says: no, it’s happening. (and she’s right! November 1st!)
Truth is–I had only tried a few Colourpop items but I had really liked everything I’d checked out. Especially the Lippie Sticks, one even makes my list of favorite reds. Pamela had purchased Jess and I some of their products a few years back including the Kathleenlights Shock Shadow collection. (we were super fans at the time. still fans, just all of us are spending slightly less time following youtubers lately.)
But I hadn’t truly gone down a rabbit hole–although it had been on my mind. Another reader–Anjee I think (thank you, anjee!) had asked what we thought of their products but none of us were that familiar. So I had planned to make an order and give it a review. But it hadn’t happened.
Our Vegas bathroom conversation cemented my resolve–an order must be made.
Lucky for me–and maybe you?–Colourpop was doing a bunch of sales when I logged on, including a buy two, get one free on lip products. Music to my ears.
So I started with testing some new lip options. I was most intrigued by the Ultra Mattes and the Blotted Lip. Plus I had heard that Colourpop was somehow involved with Kylie Cosmetics and you could get similar lip products for waaaay cheaper. (and it’s also true!)
I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills eye shadows so much. Not only is Modern Renaissance my must have pick from the past year, I’ve been slowly building a pretty nice collection of ABH single shadows to fill my Tarte magnetic palette.
So like everyone else–I was so excited when Subculture launched.
I posted this photo on our Facebook page–and number of the comments went right to the Subculture palette hiding in the mix–so I know I’m not alone.
And why shouldn’t we be curious?! ABH has a stellar track record on shadows.
One of the main selling points for me is the palette features my new eye shadow color obsession: green.
I have never liked my eye color, swampwater hazel. But over the past year, I’ve found that if I go with a green based smokey eye, I can almost make them pull more green than orangey weird.
In fact, one of the first shadows I picked up for my magnet palette was ABH’s Emerald single shadow. It’s a beauty. The only downside is it’s a shimmer and I tend to prefer matte shadows.
Subculture features three green based shades: Untamed – Ultra-matte tarnished green, Axis – Ultra-matte blue-green, Destiny – Ultra-matte sage green
Not only green, but matte.
But they are also unusable.
I’ve watched a few YouTube reviews of this palette and they basically all eviscerate it. Is it really that bad?
Yeah. It kind of is.
One of the main critiques is how powdery or soft the shadows are–I’ve seen examples of shadows falling apart in the pan when they put a brush in them.
I guess I’m one of the lucky ones. Mine isn’t quite so bad.
But they are still a mess.
I took this photo this morning. I’ve used it three times since I traveled with it last week and I cleaned it up when I had it at the hotel.
So that’s how much powder kicks up when you use it.
residue from tapping the powder off my brush. and i use a light hand.
And the powder isn’t just messy–it’s hard to control when you try to use it.
I actually really like two of the orange/peach transition colors: Dawn and Roxy. The problem is to apply them, I have to carefully tap my brush in the pan, then tap off the excess powder, then rub off more of the powder on the back of my hand and then actually put it on my eyes.
That’s too many steps. And those are the easiest shades to use.
The green ones DO. NOT. MOVE. I just can’t get them to blend. So even if I set what I think is a decent wash to my lids, when I go in with one of the green shadows to add some dimension in the corner, it’s impossible to blend. So the shadow just sits there and looks like you’ve been punched in the eyes and the bruise is starting to fade.
I should’ve taken a picture of yesterday’s look. I really tried. And it took way more time than I’m willing to spend in the mornings on eye shadow. But it was still a mess.
In fact, it was so bad, I took this picture of myself last night after I washed my face. And there is still green shadow hanging out around my rims. It does not move!
Today, I decided to use the color All Star, a reddish plum color. It was a little better than the greens.
Not as much fall out, and I was able to control it a little better.
I couldn’t get good light for a decent picture, but the point is–at least it’s not all over my face and doesn’t look like I hurt myself.
So there are two main problems for me with this palette:
I bought it for the greens, but I can’t make them work.
I’m not good enough, patient enough or care enough about eye shadow to take the time necessary to put a decent look together.
If I had hours to spend on eye shadow–first of all, I still wouldn’t–but maybe I could get those greens to blend. But I don’t.
My recommendation–as sad as I am to say it–is to pass on this palette.
I’m hoping NYX or some other brand sees all the enthusiasm for these colors and puts together a dupe palette with green matte shadow options.
I’ll be returning my palette to Sephora–along with a number of other people, I’m sure–and dreaming of perfectly formulated green shadow palette while continuing to use Modern Renaissance.
Did you get Subculture? What did you think? Were you able to make this palette work? Do you have a hack that I should try before returning it? I’m all ears!
Per usual–I spent my own money to try this palette. Money it looks like I’ll be getting back.
I refuse to be sad about summer coming to a symbolic end this weekend. Instead–I’m going to crank up these tunes suited for making the transition form one season to the next–and say thanks for a great season–and hello to chapter 3: Autumn!
Enjoy!
Whitney, Gonna Hurry (As Slow As I Can)
Phoenix, Ti Amo
Haim, Little of Your Love
https://youtu.be/svgkBA2GEFk
Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias, El Perdon
Yo Gotti & Nicki Minaj, Rake it Up
Queens of the Stone Age, The Way You Used to DO
Dua Lipa, New Rules
Vance Joy, Lay It On Me
Lana Del Rey with The Weeknd, Lust for Life
Rhye (Roosevelt Remix), Summer Days
Have a fun, relaxing and safe Labor Day Weekend!! –E&N (Lyn, Pamela and Jess)
Let’s start with the one with the poor reviews. On Sephora.com this doesn’t even have a full three stars, which is pretty bleak. But let me tell you why I love it and why it’s perfect for a specific situation. I have thick, wavy hair. I don’t always want to wash my hair every day, but when I wake up in the morning, it looks insane. And the only way to start over is to get it wet and calm it down. And I feel like if I’m going to have to blow dry it anyway, I might as well just wash it. Enter this amazing time saver! Because it’s a foam, it’s a little damp so I can put it on my crazy bedhead hair and I can get it back under control. It’s a foam, like an old fashioned mousse, and you just give it a shake and then start with a golf ball size or bigger mound and work it through the roots. It doesn’t make you hair sticky or weird like a true mousse would, but it does make it manageable and gives it some texture. I have disliked the scent of Ouai products in the past, but this one doesn’t bother me. I feel like I need to stock up on it in case it gets discontinued–that’s how much I like it!
I mentioned these in my most recent “empties” post, but I feel like they are so strange, they are worth another mention. Thankfully, my skin hasn’t been a complete disaster that much lately, but I do get the random breakouts here and there. And when I do, I reach for these. One of my issues with acne treatments is I always felt like they mainly just got on your pillow at night and never really were able to work. That’s why these dots are incredible! They are basically stickers that come in two sizes, big and small, and you peel them off a sheet and put them over the problem spot. They are clear, so they don’t look like you have chicken pox or anything. There is a slight problem of finding them again when you go to take them off, because they are clear, they can be missed! But if you pop one of these on a spot early, they have been very effective for me to clear them up before they take over my face. My sister just got me a Korean dupe version that is much cheaper, so I’ll be giving those a try, but even at the high price, I think they are worth it.
Another hair product! I’ve talked in the past how my hair makes me crazy, so I’m always looking for things that make me feel slightly better about it. Couple that with any excuse to stay in the shower for a few more minutes, and I’m sold! This product is very strange, but it accomplishes both goals: better hair and extra shower time. Basically, it’s like a third step after conditioning your hair. You put the same amount of this product through your hair, but then you don’t rinse it completely off. And the balance of how much product vs how much to rinse can seem a little challenging. But I feel like after a couple uses, I could just FEEL when the balance was right. It’s a nice time saver too, you can just either let your hair air dry, which is what I’ve been doing this summer, or it’s ready for blowdrying without having to add anything to the mix. Again–this might just be specifically great for my hair type–but if you’ve got wavyish or curly hair, this might be good for you, too!
Okay–these might seem completely silly because you can just use baby wipes or something that’s not $1 a sheet–but let me explain. I teach dance on Friday nights and class gets done at 6:45pm. Ofter after class–I go out somewhere. And while the Mario Badusco has been a savior, these actually make me feel slightly more confident to go out without a proper shower. They are basically big, body sized baby wipes! They smell good and they are big enough to really feel like you got all your bits covered and are good to go. I feel like it’s $1 well spent!
Do you have any bonkers products you love? Or products other dislike but work for you? I wanna know!!
All products purchased by me. All photos from the product websites. All opinions my own!
It seems to be a common theme around here that the three of us are choosing a more minimalist approach to makeup and skin during the summer months- sunscreen is a must, then maybe bronzer and a quick swipe of mascara? Also, many of the premium brand summer releases have been kind of underwhelming, so none of us have really contributed much to our Sephora or Ulta points in a bit. It hasn’t been a total drought, though, and we have a few things from the drugstore (yay cheap!) that are impressing us:
I’ve been binge watching old episodes of The Office this summer (so nerdy, i know!) so I’ve watched hardly any YouTube makeup videos in months. But before I got sucked back into Scranton, PA and Dunder Mifflin, I saw the L’Oreal Lash Paradise mascara featured unilaterally on basically every channel I follow as a must-have new product. But I couldn’t find it anywhere to see for myself. So I kinda forgot about it. But there it was at the Hilldale Target when I made a quick stop on August 15th (dumbest shopping trip decision ever. seriously–don’t go there until October.) Even though I REALLY dislike Too Faced Better Than Sex–which it’s supposedly a dupe–I decided I was still curious enough to pay the $8.50 to give it a try. And I’m glad I did. I like it SOOOO much better than it’s predecessor and I think it really packs a punch. My only drawback is I accidentally purchased the waterproof option and it is SUPER hard to remove. But if you are looking for a new waterproof mascara, this one is legit.
Back in the spring, we shared our favorite mud masks. In the comments, Heidi suggested the Studio 35 Mint Julep Mask. Soon after, I saw it at Walgreens, so I picked it up. It has been a perfect summer mask. The mint feels really refreshing especially on the few hot days we’ve had this summer. I also feel like my skin looks smooth and clear after using it. And for $3.99, it’s a cheap treat and a great way to wake up your face in the morning!
My husband and I have a side hustle- we are wedding DJ’s- which means most Saturdays I have to put on a full face of makeup early in the day (say, 1:00) that needs to last until midnight. In the past, I have relied on Urban Decay’s All Nighter Setting Spray, which I considered to be Holy Grail status. And then I ran out. And then I didn’t want to spend $32 on a new bottle. So I took a chance on this $8 dupe, by NYX. You guys. This is good stuff! The mist is super fine (I’m always worried about sprays being to shooty or have heavy drops) and it seems to do the trick, even at sweaty barn weddings. I might be converting to this as my go-to from now on!
Clearly, we are weak at Walgreens and L’oreal is killing it. I picked this guy up on a whim (probably to disguise the fact that I really just wanted to buy ice cream or something) in the color Caged- I’ve been liking a more taupe/pewter smokey eye lately. I was surprised and impressed with an initial swatch- it is super pigmented and delightfully shiny without being glittery. Applied with a fluffy brush, the effect is a little more diffuse and blendable, then it stays put all day without transferring or creasing. I may have thought about buying all 5 shades. I haven’t. Yet.
Pamela:
…. is on a spending break! It’s ok. It’s a good time of year to use up what we have and clean things out!
xo
Is there anything you’ve been digging from the drugstore lately? Maybe a great eye makeup remover to help Lyn get that mascara off? Let us know in the comments!
This post is the one I’ve gotten requested the most: “what do you think about Ipsy/Birchbox” and “which one do you prefer?”
The question comes at the right time. I’ve started to think maybe it’s time to let one–or both–of the subscriptions go.
I am overrun with samples. I have a giant box in my bathroom filled with sample sized products waiting for me to try them. Between the two subscription services, Sephora often has special sized samples with purchase and I’m a total sucker for the Sephora Favorite boxes that come out seasonally with different products to try. All these samples really add up.
And the weird thing is–I’ve actually found a bunch of products I really like–so it’s hard to play facial product roulette with untested potions that could lead to magically perfect skin, or nasty breakouts.
So my willingness to test out products has been decreasing recently or maybe I just feel so overwhelmed with mini products, I can’t focus on them long enough to give them a try.
To determine my thoughts on each option, I reviewed them on a number of areas. Here are my findings:
Our relationship
I’ve really given both of them a long run. I started Birchbox in January 2012 when a Ms. Jess Boggs gave me a gift subscription for Christmas. (we’ve been pushing product on each other for a long time!) I added Ipsy in January 2013, presumably a Christmas present to myself.
Each subscription is $10/month and gives an assortment of products, but generally five sample sizes. Rarely do you receive a full-sized option. (side note: i had a brief flirtation with Boxycharm, which is $21/month but you get full-sized options. i hated it. i rarely used the products and i felt worst getting rid of full-sized products than samples. i got rid of it after a few months.)
The Container
the boxes are super cute, just not needed by me
Birchbox comes in a box that you could collect and reuse. I do not. So the box basically makes me feel bad every time I throw it in the recycling–which is immediately after I receive my box.
this month’s bag
Ipsy comes in a bag that range from really cute, to kinda janky. But I use the bags. Mostly for packing up samples to give to friends, but sometimes for travel. I have a lot of them though.
The Brands
Regarding the brands each site carries, Birchbox offers more well-known medium to high end brands. Ipsy tends to have more independent brands that are new to me.
What’s in the box/bag?
In my mind, I’ve always viewed Birchbox as more skincare and Ipsy as makeup. I did a quick tally of the products I received through each subscription the past six months. Ipsy does seem to have more makeup samples including brushes, which is one of my favorite things to receive. Birchbox has way more hair care products. I received zero hair products through Ipsy and nine from Birchbox. But otherwise, they seems pretty evenly split between their offerings.
this month i got the curated box–i already have the stila lip AND the purlisse mask, but i wanted the hair mask and lotion.
Birchbox has also added curated boxes. Now there are three options for your box. You can either chose a box that’s curated and you can see what’s in there in advance, you can select one particular sample out of three options but the rest will be surprises or the entire box is a surprise. I’ve done all three and I don’t really have a preference. Sometimes the curated box is great, sometimes I already have many of the samples in it already. I’ve gone with the surprise boxes and had good success and also misses.
this month’s ipsy contents
Ipsy is still a surprise each month.
Both services have a quiz you take at the start of the relationship that sets the type of products you will receive. I haven’t played with the quizzes recently to see if it would change what I receive, but they do seem to be pretty close to what I have said are my makeup and skin care preferences.
The online presence
Birchbox.com is designed as an online retailer with sample sizes of its main product lines.
Ipsy is more of a product hub with links to the retailers’ websites.
Discounts
One of the benefits I have found using Birchbox is you can get discounts more frequently on quality products that are rarely discounted through Ulta or Sephora aside from the few sales they offer during the year.
Ipsy offers discounts to the brands during the month their products are featured in the bags. It’s a little clunkier to transition over to the product site and use the discount codes than to just order direct from the service website. But, this also means you can get a discount on the brand’s entire product line and not just select products which can be nice.
Points
One of the best benefits of Birchbox was its review program. Each month, you were given the opportunity to review the products to receive points. Those points added up to actual cash. So it wasn’t difficult to rack up $10 off every few months from reviews.
They recently discontinued this program. Instead, you get points for purchasing products. It’s still something, but it’s less enticing for me to stay on the service when it’s harder for me to collect points i.e. product credits. But those points still add up to actual cash off you can use on your order total. I much prefer getting cash back than points for MORE product.
Ipsy still gives points for submitting reviews. But the points are used toward select products and you need a lot of points to get anything good. I don’t bother with it.
Special deals
Birchbox has gift with purchase options that are always available, but honestly, I rarely use them. I generally order through Birchbox when they offer a percentage off–and you can only use one code per purchase–so I go for the cash, not the samples.
In addition to the retailer discount codes, Ipsy also offers discounted bundles each month. I have mixed feelings on these bundles. They are very cheap–but not always very good. I’ve ordered a few things and then I rarely reach for them. They also sell out quickly, so you have to be on top of things if there is something for a line your really like. Higher end bundles especially sell out fast.
The products
I guess it really comes down to the products. And sadly, I’m split.
I looked at the last six months and the products I’ve tried that I liked–and tbh–there are many, many products I haven’t tried yet.
Here are the ones from Ipsy that I made the grade: Skone Blending Brush, Josie Maran Face Butter, Glamour Dolls Angle Blush Brush, Jesse’s Girl Liquid Eyeliner, Royal and Langnickel brush, SKYN Iceland Face Wash, So Susan brush. (lots of brushes. lots.)
And the Birchbox winners: Benefit They’re Real Double Lip Lipstick, Schmidt’s Deodorant Stick, Davines Hair and Body Wash, Benefit Rollerlash, Number 4 Sugar Texturizing Spray, R + Co shampoo/conditioner and Moisture and Shine Cream.
I also did a quick look to see what products I discovered from Birchbox and Ipsy over the years that have become go-to options. I discovered the Oribe Texturizing Spray through Birchbox. My favorite exfoliating was from Juara was a Birchbox sample and I’ve recently discovered that my first impression of the Benefit Rollerlash was wrong and it’s actually really good.
From Ipsy, I really like the It Cosmetics Superhero mascara, Benefit Gimme Brow and the Balanced Guru No Frizz Hair Oil is my everyday finishing touch on my hair–and I love it!
Final conclusion
Ugh–it’s hard. The best thing about both services is the anticipation when the package arrives and you open it to see what you get. That 2 minutes is like Christmas morning every month and it would be hard to give that up. Even when it’s not that great–it’s always so exciting to see what’s inside.
But that said, it would save me $20/month to cancel them AND tons of space in my bathroom.
Soo…I don’t know. I think I should cancel them both, but it feels like an end of an era. I’ve really come to look forward to those pink boxes and bags each month. It’s been a constant source of optimism for the past four and five years, respectively. It makes me sad to think I won’t get fun mail each month.
usually it’s a pink box, but there’s always a cute salutationthis bag is ALWAYS hot pink–except this month when i take a picture. :/ i would miss ripping into it each month.
This is a very Gemini moment for me, I’m having a hard time deciding!
What do you think? Get out of the relationship or focus on the benefits and stay? Do you get a subscription service? How do you like it?
I pay for each subscription myself. If you feel like trying one of them, I do have invite codes you can choose to use if you want for Ipsy and Birchbox.
