IPSY: February 2014

I received my first Ipsy bag today after being on the wait list for MONTHS! So excited! The bag itself is super adorable. Love the pink with the pink/white leopard print inside. It will definitely be my new travel bag.

Nail polish is not pictured. At this point, I had already used it and added it to the rest of my nail polishes. :)

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Review Time:

POP Beauty | Plump Pout Mini in Fuchsia Freesia

I got the Fuchsia shade and was like, 'oh hell, that's really pink!', but once I put it on, I was relatively surprised. The color wasn't as out-there as I thought it would be and actually goes on pretty subtly. 

Smells funky, though, and feels pretty sticky. I'm not a big fan of glosses and I definitely don't use a plumper, ever. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, just probably won't use it.
6/10 would use again.

Zoya | Nail Polish in Dot

I actually really, really like this color! I bite my nails so I never wear a lot of polish, but I had to put this on right away. It's so dainty and feminine. Definitely my favorite item out of the bag this month! 

9/10 would use again!

Tini Beauty | Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base In One in Violette

Love the color! I got Violette and I am super happy with it! I love wearing purple shades and I can't wait to use this as a base to build upon. I have only swatched on my hand so far, but it has a gorgeous shimmer. I'll be using it for sure tomorrow morning!

10/10 would use again! (and have)

J.Cat Beauty | Eyelashes and Eyelash Glue in EL15

I was so excited to get these babies! I felt like this is just what I needed before my Valentine's date night with the Hubby. Only problems were I've never in my life worn false eyelashes and once I got them on (after 45 minutes!), they were WAY too dramatic. I ended up taking them off and trimming them down to just the outer 5th or so and wearing them that way. I love that the glue is black as well. It's a little hard to see putting it on because of that, but it seems to hold very well once it gets tacky. 

9/10 would use again.

Skyn Iceland | Fresh Start Mask with IceAge Mud

I'm not going to lie, I am very hesitant to use this product. I have really sensitive skin and masks of any kind freak me out. I'm not sure that I will use these, but I've heard some really great things about it. If I end up sucking it up and using in the future, I will keep you all posted. This is my least favorite item out of this month's Glam Bag. 

2/10 would use again.

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Join me on ipsy and subscribe to get your own Glam Bag! You get 4-5 beauty products every month delivered to your door, for just $10. That's like getting $40-50 for only $10! Most of the products are full-sized, also! Michelle Phan curates the bags! 

Check it out here: ipsy Glam Bags

Disclosure: This post contains referral links. Images from Ipsy.com

2014's Bucket List

Instead of setting a resolution for myself for the new year, I'd rather make a bucket list of sorts. Lord knows I'm not getting any younger! Without further ado, I give you the 28 things I want to cross off my list before I turn 28 in October:

1. Be able to run at least a mile without slowing down or stopping.
2. Buy and move into a bigger house. (My kids are getting too big to share a room!)
3. Pay off all debts (except for student loans).
4. Learn to take pictures like the pros.
5. Take a class to learn something new.
6. Stop biting my nails.
7. Spend more time with my kids.
8. Take a family vacation.
9. Go camping!
10. Have date night with the hubby at least twice a month.
11. Find a new hobby.
12. Crochet something I (or someone) can actually wear.
13. Finally finish that scarf I've been knitting for over a month! (Still only 4 inches long...)
14. Learn more programming languages.
15. Work out at least 3 times a week. No excuses.
16. Update my personal website.
17. Update my resume! D:
18. Do something special for me (massage, spa day, etc.)
19. Take the kids to Worlds/Oceans of Fun in KC
20. Blog a hair tutorial.
21. Try more foods.
22. Eat CLEAN(er)!
23. Stop drinking pop entirely.
24. Run the ColorRun.
25. Lean how to BLEND
26. Make killer wings.
27. Upload a YouTube tutorial/tip video.
28. Be the best mom and wife I can be by staying happy and healthy! ♥

No particular order. But each time I finish 5 I am going to reward myself with a little something-something I've been wanting for awhile. Sounds like a win-win to me! I'll go through and update my list once a month starting in February! 

What would you put on your list?

Starting a New Cleansing Regimen

I have suffered from acne since I was a teen. Now that I’m going on 30, I’m getting a little tired of the breakouts! I mean, COME ON, my kids are about to start breaking out and I don't want to have to share face wash!

I've tried everything from Proactive to Cetaphil and everything in between. Nothing seems to do the trick. It either doesn't do anything or I get really dried out and flaky. I end up overcompensating with moisturizers or lotions and then that completely defeats the purpose! Ay yi yi.

I believe my breakouts are stress-related more than hormonal, but I've never seen a dermatologist about it.

I bought some Dove Go Fresh soap bars today and I've heard really great things so I plan on using it for the next little while to see how my skin responds. My fingers are crossed! Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could ditch the expensive, pricey 'miracle solutions' and go with a $3 bar of soap? Yes, please!

Has anyone else had troubles with breakout “treatments”? Any advice?

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Confessions of a Cosmetics Junkie

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved makeup. Specifically the bright blue eyeshadow that Vada Sultenfuss wears in My Girl. The part where Macaulay Culkin asks the Vada character, "What's wrong with your eyes?" and she responds with: "A girl can never wear enough eyeshadow!" has stuck with me all these years.

I lost my mom when I was pretty young so everything I know about makeup has been through trial and error or learned through vlogs on YouTube and googling. I don't (and won't) pretend I have all the answers. I also won't pretend like I am a professional. I won't give you guys information that I don't stand behind 100% and wouldn't pass along to my daughter someday. The only thing I can do is continue my trial and errors and document them and share with you all. This will still be a learning process for me, too.

Another thing I should probably mention is that I am cheap with a capital C. A good portion (ok, most) of the cosmetics I own were bought from drugstores or Walmart. I did receive some Youngblood products as a gift once (and still use and love) the brushes. That plus the Naked2 palette my hubby bought me as a gift this Christmas (which I've reviewed recently on MUA and will post) is about as high-end as I've gotten.

I'm planning on signing up on Ipsy to receive a Glam Bag full of products every month. It will be a fun surprise once a month that's loaded with cosmetics for only $10! What's not to love?! I'll be sharing these with y'all in the form of a blog post that includes reviews on the products. Can't wait!

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