May Ipsy Bag 2014!

Hello all!

I just want to start off by saying that I really loved my past Ipsy bags. This month just wasn't working for me though :(. I got products I really wasn't interested in and some of them seemed like a cop out.

In this month's bag I received:
Pur~lisse hydra-balance moisturizer
Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen
Pacifica Duo in #1
Nailtini polish in the colour "Champagne"
Eau Thermale Avene

To be honest, I don't like any of them! The nail polish is okay, but I don't really enjoy receiving them because my mom owns a Salon (Mei Nails 989 Fennell Avenue, Hamilton ON). I pretty much get my pick of all the colours we have.

Also, the moisturizer seems cheap and smells too much like Glysomed hand lotion - definitely wary about putting that on my face!

The sunscreen smells like Malibu Rum (not good in my books) but it does apply thinly. I could use it at some point in my trip.

The Pacifica Duo is poor quality. The colours are not pigmented nor are they smooth! They're quite powdery and the packaging just screams "cheap"!

The Eau Thermale is basically pressurized water. Water in a can.

I'm pretty disappointed in this month's Ipsy picks, but that's the feeling I'm getting from a lot of Ipsters too!

I hope next month is better.

Love,

jane

My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ddsm4CtLIY7TMVZdk20uQ/videos

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Review

                                             

In the video above, I am wearing "Dim Light".

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette is definitely a "splurge" item. It contains about 0.348oz of product (0.116oz per powder) and it retails at Sephora for $67.00 CAD. The regular, full-sized powders are $52 CAD and contain 0.35oz of product. So with the palette you will pay more as well as lose out on quantity. 

However, the palette does contain one shade that is exclusive to it. Incandescent Light is only available in the palette and is a pale, peachy, pink powder with shimmer that reflects on the skin.

Left to Right: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

Lets start with a what I like about the product. First off, I love the packaging. It's smooth and sleek and easy to clean (although it does tend to attract fingerprints). I also love the colour of it! The rosy chrome colour is stunning! The simplicity of the design makes it very elegant.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Secondly, I love how smooth the powders are. Dim Light and Radiant Light are so smooth and creamy. They swatch and blend beautifully. Incandescent Light doesn't swatch as nicely nor does it feel as smooth as the other two, however it is still a very blendable shade.

Third, they all provide a beautiful glow to the face. There are no obvious chunks of glitter but rather, a subtle glow that makes it look like you are in soft lighting. I love the "lit from within" look!

Left to Right: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

Left to Right: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

They're all soft to the touch and wonderful to work with. My favourite is Dim Light because it provides such a beautiful and romantic sheen.

A few cons:
- The price! It's very expensive for such a small size.
- Doesn't control oil. I know it's not meant to, however after a couple hours I can definitely notice a lot of shine (not the good kind).
- Lack of neutral colours in the palette. I think they would have done well if they included a shade like "Diffused Light" instead of Incandescent Light. It would provide a better balance for all skin tones.

All in all, a very nice palette to add to my ever growing collection of makeup. I appreciate the concept of "lighting" and enjoy experimenting with it all! If you've got something that performs as well as this, don't go rushing out to buy it.

See you next time!

Love,

jane

My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ddsm4CtLIY7TMVZdk20uQ/videos

Back in stock!!

I absolutely FREAKED out when I found out that the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette was back in stock at Sephora for Mother's Day. Of course, I ordered it right away! I really wanted to try a range of these powders and I think this set is the best way to do that. This sold out so quickly when the lighting powders first came out and the prices on Ebay and Amazon were INSANE. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic that I'll be a proud owner of this palette for a reasonable price.

The palette includes Incandescent Light (an exclusive to the palette) and two existing shades, Dim Light and Radiant Light. 

The palette is $67 CAD for 0.348oz and a single full sized shade (0.38oz) is $52 CAD. Considering the small size of the product, I am a little still a bit skeptical of the price, but I will sacrifice that for the colour range and versatility.

Stay tuned for a full review!

Love,

jane

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