Happy first day of autumn!! Ssshhh, never mind that it’s 90 degrees out. Here are some things that I am currently into (or hope to be into!) now that…. nevermind, I haven’t even thought about a sweater or cooking chili in a crock pot or hot apple cider or putting real socks on yet. Here are just some random things!
Later, Bronzer
While I am forever grateful to Lyn for turning me on to the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer (it’s seriously the best!!), once Labor Day came and went, I haven’t picked it up. I didn’t even make a conscious choice about it- it’s like, once I saw yellow school buses back on the street, bronzer time came to a halt. Instead, I’ve been favoring a romantic, mauve-y blush. I really love Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty, which you can get for free as your birthday present this year as a Sephora Beauty Insider! These blushes last forever, so any time you can snag one free or in a discovery set, do it. Anyway, this shade is a perfect soft rose without being too dreary or vampy. Aces.
I absolutely adore Kristen Bell. Did you guys see her singing to a group of nursing home residents and calling bingo when they all got stuck in the same hotel during hurricane Irma?? It was the best. I missed this show last fall when it originally aired, but recently caught up via Netflix, and it is SO GREAT. My husband just watched it too- he also found it laugh out loud funny- and he was all “why are we the only people in the whole world watching this?? It is the best!” I agree. The basic premise is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) wakes up to learn that she is dead and in the afterlife, but not to worry, she is in “the good place”. She quickly realizes that there has been a clerical error and she doesn’t actually belong there (because she’s kind of a jerk), and hilarity ensues as she tries to fake her way through it. Ted Danson and the other supporting actors are top notch, the laughs are rapid fire, and it is forking hilarious. Why is this an almost fall thing? Because season 2 just started, and it is brilliant!
Back to Matte
Similarly, I have started gravitating back toward matte lips. Why does this happen during the season of dry lips?? No one knows. But it does. I recently picked up a lipstick from the Sephora Matte Rouge Collection in the shade No Superstar, which is a gorgeous rose-nude that flirts with being greige, but not enough to make you look dead. I find the formula to be a little drying, but it’s not terrible, especially if you prep your lips first with a little buff and chapstick. One weird thing though- it smells like grape bubble gum. The scent goes away pretty quickly, but dang, it is WEIRD.
Practical Vans
Lolololol- all Vans are practical! But I needed some legit comfy actual sneakers for work and for walks on these (ahem, soon to be) crisp mornings. I used to be faithful to Nikes for when I have to be on my feet all day, but my last pair (the Flyknit Free) made me angry- sure, they were super soft and light, but they were so flexible that I would just slide around in them. Someone at Vans must have heard my laments, because they came to the rescue and released these super rad Ultrarange sneaks! They weigh nothing (I thought the box was empty), they have the right level of squish with the right amount of structure, and they look like cool skate shoes while being sneaky practical and go with everything. Oh! They are also made out of a really light mesh, which is nice. I think these will be a good vacation pick if there’s going to be a lot of walking.
Pretty soon, I will be in full fall mode- I’m dying for jeans and jackets and boots and spooky nights and crunchy leaves and having scary movies on nonstop. But until then, these things will ease me in while still hanging on to summer, a little bit. Maybe.
xo
What are you transitioning into as the season shifts? Are you watching anything good right now? I bought all of these things with my own money but I did happen to buy those Vans while Dick’s Sporting Goods was having a random $20 off shoes sale so obviously they were meant to be!
Well, of course my favorite company would come out with brand new products in the middle of my self imposed spending freeze. And not just any new products – body products! Taking care of my skin is a bit of a passion for me, which is not limited to just my face. Since I’m in love with Glossier, naturally I ordered these the day they were released. The Glossier Body Hero Duo is made up of the Daily Oil Wash, an oil cleanser for body and the Daily Perfecting Cream, a daily body moisturizer. I’ve only had the chance to use both of these products twice (of course I couldn’t wait til I used my current products up!), and here’s what I think of them so far:
It smells sooooo good! It’s a subtle sweet orange blossom scent, that’s really refreshing in the morning. The consistency is basically the same as the L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil, which I love and have written about in a previous post. I’ve used it directly on my body, the recommended method, which allows the formula to lather up when it mixes with water, and I’ve also used it on my shower loofah, which I think is my preference…. I’m not sure if the benefits to the skin are different using it that way, but it forces me to use way less product – this is coming from a shower gel over user – I go through shower gels so quickly!
The body cream has the same scent, which again, it’s so good! And it remains subtle enough that as the day goes on it eventually fades almost completely, which is good as I found it doesn’t over power or clash with any perfume I might decided to wear. It has light reflecting particles in it, which gives skin an immediate glow, but not in a weird glittery way like the Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum cream, which I could probably write another post about entirely. The Bum Bum cream is straight up glittery and that annoys me almost as much as its overpowering scent – it’s a good scent, but that’s all I can smell when I wear it….. I could even smell it on my sofa for a few days one time because I sat down too soon after applying it. Anyway, I digress…. back to the Daily Perfecting Cream. I would say it’s a medium weight cream that sinks in almost immediately, so getting your skinny jeans on after isn’t a problem. I’m not sure it’ll be hydrating enough for me going into the colder months, but for now in this transition to fall, it’s good – I wish I had it all summer – it’s probably perfect for the summer months. My current go to is usually a Body Shop Body Butter, especially in winter.
Both are 8.4 fl. oz. which I feel like is a pretty decent size. The packaging is super pretty and functional. And right now you can get them both, as a duo, for $35.00, which is 5 bucks less then if you bought them individually.
And that’s my hot take on the new Glossier body products. I really like them! You probably will too, and remember you can get 10% off your purchase with this code!
*As always, purchased with my own money….. that I’m not supposed to be spending on product.
Hello friends! Question: are September Resolutions a thing? I feel like they are, but in a secret way. Like, every year, after Labor Day, I think “well, summer play time is over and now I need to lock it down and stop having ice cream for dinner.” You?
Remember about a month ago when I set myself on the path of becoming a morning person? You may be wondering, “hey Jess, how is it going??”
Overall, I am happy to report that it has been trending successful. High five!! Go me!! But alas, I am human, so I have made some… improvements? Changes? Compromises?? Let me explain:
First of all, I have to say that I found I really enjoy getting my workout out of the way first thing in the morning. Even though I might be dragging myself to the gym, potentially with crusty eyes, unbrushed teeth, and amazing morning hair, but I am looking forward to getting my workout in and done for the day. It used to be so stressful to think about where (if??) I could wedge it in to my schedule. Bonus: the gym is delightfully empty this time of day, so I don’t have to fight for a squat rack. Plus, it feels really good to get my body warmed up (the first thing I do at the gym is roll out on a foam roller and crack my back- yay!), knock the rust off, and have the “fitness” box checked off my daily to-do’s. 10/10 would recommend.
That being said, morning, in the broad sense, is still a challenge. My initial goal was to get up at 6:30. For about a week, I totally did it! Then I started rationalizing (when my alarm went off, of course), that I really didn’t need to be up so early, that I could push it back a bit and still have lots of time to get a load of laundry done or whatever. So, I’ve been playing with that to see what feels best. It seems like a 7ish wake up is feeling better, but I would still like shoot for a little earlier, since I was enjoying having lots of time to myself in the morning to catch up on TV shows, read a little, go for a walk, go grocery shopping in a quiet store… mornings are pretty neat.
The weather has also been a bit of a wrench- it cooled off quite a bit for a few weeks, and man, snuggling under the covers with snoozy kittens in the morning is haaaaard to tear yourself away from!!
Another thing I discovered (even though I *knew* it already) is that planning is key. I skipped one Friday morning workout along the way, simply because I hadn’t planned for it. I didn’t have my gym bag packed (Friday is the one day I have to shower/get ready/go to work right away from the gym), didn’t have my workout planned, didn’t have a lunch packed. So now I know that, no, I will not get up 5 minutes earlier to do that in the morning, but if it’s ready to go the night before, I can pull my shit together.
Also, coffee. COFFEE!!! The pre-workout of the gods. I have gotten my night-before coffee prep on point, and it is THE BEST to hear that little “coffee’s ready!” beep, which can usually convince me to roll out of bed. The caffeine usually kicks in right as I’m getting going with my main lifts, which is super helpful. I’ve also been preparing a second cup in a travel mug so that I still have a hot cup of coffee to look forward to relaxing with when I get home. Aces!
Overall, I haven’t been perfect- I’ve given myself a few outs based on the aforementioned un-planning, a wicked migraine, my body just needing a break. But I would say that I have a 90% success rate in this challenge, and I feel pretty proud of myself!
xo
Do you have any September resolutions? What goals are you working on?? Am I actually sleep walking at the gym? Maybe!
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.
Most of my junk mail gets pitched without a second thought, but my Ulta mailers always get at least a casual flip through. Earlier this month, I was perusing while waiting for my toast to pop up, and this magical thing caught my eye:
I mean, come on. Kittens! Disco!! Diamonds?!?! I needed to know more. So I hopped on the interwebs and learned that this mask (a pearly-chrome peel-off type) is kind of trying to be a dupe for Glam Glow, I think? Which has always been too expensive for me to even care if it’s worth the hype. This cool cat has a bunch of crazy ingredients in it, like ruby and tourmaline and diamonds and pearls and a bunch of flowers. What do these things do for your skin? Who knows! But the claim is that it will illuminate lackluster skin, smooth it out, and even skin tone. In.
But of course, this cleverly named, highly instagrammable mask listed at a reasonable $23 was sold out. For the second time in a month. *Sad trombone*
Never fear! It came back in stock (and is, currently, available on Ulta.com– I don’t think it’s available in stores yet, but I hear it’s going to be at Urban Outfitters this fall) and by some miracle it happened during a 20% off sale. Woo!
On a recent Friday night after a few cocktails, my husband and I decided a mask was in order. Since this is a peel off mask, I was a little scared- I’ve tried some painful ones (like the Boscia Luminizing Black Mask– ow!!)- so I prepped my hairline and eyebrows with a little Alba Un-Petroleum Jelly, which is the first product YouTube ever convinced me to buy (thanks Kandee Johnson!). My husband, on the other hand, went to town and scrubbed the mask all up in his eyebrows and hairline. Dudes are weird.
The instructions recommend using a silicone spatula or mask brush to apply the mask, and I bet that would work really well! I didn’t have one, so we just used our fingers, which was fine. The mask is like a liquid pearl in the tub, and has a light floral scent, but nothing too offensive. Then, we watched some TV while we waited for it to do it’s thing, and it turned a little more chrome:
We both started feeling a little trapped and frozen-faced, which is always hilarious but then you can’t move your face to laugh about it! So then we were on to the peeling phase, which actually ended up to be pretty fun. Remember when you were a kid and you would put Elmer’s glue on your hands, let it dry, and then peel it off? It’s exactly like that. It was a little spicy around the baby hairs on the edges of my face, but otherwise, not too bad. And yes, my husband still has eyebrows. WHEW.
I have to say, though, my life was completely unchanged after this mask. Aside from it having a cute name and being pretty, I’m not entirely sure what the hype is all about. Maybe I expected too much from it- like, what, it would be a giant Biore strip and clean out every pore on my face? Or leave me sparkly like a Twilight vampire? Maybe I should have listened to Prince instead of watching TV while it dried. Maybe I didn’t use it at the right time. Like, maybe after coming home from a long flight when you feel like a french fry, or maybe during the winter when your skin feels like a snake it will feel like it does something. I will definitely try it again in those instances, but for now, I give it a solid meh, though I’ll also admit that it was the most fun mask I’ve done in a while.
xo
I purchased the I Dew Care Disco Kitten Mask with my own cash money and my own coupon. What masks are the most fun for you??
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!
I love summer. It really is my favorite. And we probably can all agree, it’s more than a little busy as far as seasons go. Wisconsinites have only three (if we’re lucky maybe a little more) fleeting months to cram such a huge amount of summer living in – work slows a bit for me and I’m more focused on getting outdoors and doing/going to any of the tons of summer events that are being held, and camping. But as much as I love summer, I do look forward to fall being a time to get back into routine and chill out. The daylight gets shorter, the nights get cooler and I find myself inside more than outside. Work gets busier too. It’s a tough transition, but at the same time, it is welcome. So in these months of transition what do I do to calm the panic of summer ending, and bridge the time knowing a darker and colder landscape will soon be here?
Bake something.
I love to bake, but in the summer when it’s hot and sunny, who wants to be inside and turn on a hot oven? With the cool of fall coming, and the harvest of apples and other garden bounty, fall seems like the perfect time to bake. Maybe an apple pie, maybe some savory squash dish. It’s comforting to me, and taking the time to find and follow a recipe is soothing and slows me down. Also, the results are delicious!
Listen to a record from start to finish.
I feel a certain amount of music ADD in the summer. There’s tons of new music, live outdoor shows abound, and summer jams are plentiful. It’s hard to focus on one artist with summer mixes on repeat. But I do love to listen completely to an album, and with some great music coming out this fall, I look forward to having a sit (or a dance party) and really listen to a full record. I feel like it often makes more sense to listen to songs in the order of how the artist wanted them to be heard, as if you’re listen to them tell a story. I like it. In fact, I am probably the only weirdo you know who still buys cds to do just that, in my truck. I love to listen to cds in my truck. And records – we’ll buy our very favorite albums on vinyl.
Take a walk.
Crisp air and warm sun. One of the best fall feelings. What more is there to say about that?
Fall clean out.
As mentioned in our post earlier this week, I am indeed on a spending freeze when it comes to cosmetics (I cry a little inside each time I force myself to skip the cosmetics department when I visit Target.) It is a great time of year to get to cleaning up my massive product arsenal, as what I am using on my skin currently, will also change with the season too. Wardrobe is no exception to this. Switching over my drawers and closet from summer to fall/winter comes with another purge of things I maybe didn’t wear at all this summer or that just need to be retired.
None of this is super ritualistic, it happens gradually… like summer to fall. But it all helps me to start to slow down after a summer of go, go, go. What things do you do that are specific to the change of seasons?
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.
Lolololol- all Vans are practical! But I needed some legit comfy actual sneakers for work and for walks on these (ahem, soon to be) crisp mornings. I used to be faithful to Nikes for when I have to be on my feet all day, but my last pair (the Flyknit Free) made me angry- sure, they were super soft and light, but they were so flexible that I would just slide around in them. Someone at Vans must have heard my laments, because they came to the rescue and released these super rad Ultrarange sneaks! They weigh nothing (I thought the box was empty), they have the right level of squish with the right amount of structure, and they look like cool skate shoes while being sneaky practical and go with everything. Oh! They are also made out of a really light mesh, which is nice. I think these will be a good vacation pick if there’s going to be a lot of walking.
