DIY: Pans not magnetic? Cheap fix!

So you have a Z Palette or another magnetic palette but the pans you depotted are aluminum? If the pans are too small for the metal stickers then what do you do? iashleycouture recently posted her solution at Makeuptalk.com which I’ve used and it works like a charm!

You will need:

• Small metal washers. I used 3/16″ (4.7 mm) washers
• Glue – Contact cement, Gorilla Glue or super glue works. Ashley used nail glue, I used Gorilla Glue.
• Magnetic palette
• Pans you want to use

I used Gorilla Glue because it “bonds metal, wood, stone, ceramics, foam, glass and more” according to the label. The downside to using Gorilla Glue you have to wait for it to dry while with super glue it sets more quickly. I’m not sure using hot glue will work as well due to the fact you’re gluing metal to metal and so the hot glue bond won’t be as strong.

I used a a 3/16″ (4.7 mm) metal washer but there are smaller washers. The smallest shadow pan I used were from Coastal Scents that came in my Ipsy bag a few months ago and the 4.7 mm washer fit just fine. I paid less than 70 cents for a bag of 33 washers at Walmart but I know a bag of similar size washers from Lowes and Home Depot are under $1 but you get more. The washers I used had two different sides – one side was completely flat while the flip side had a rounded edge – I used the flat side with the glue.

Since I used Gorilla Glue there was an extra step I had to take per the instructions on the bottle. “Gorilla Glue is cured with moisture. Lightly dampen bonding surfaces with water.” I simply spritzed the washer and the back of the pan with water then applied a couple of drops of Gorilla Glue before sticking the washer to the pan. Once I placed the washer on the back of the pan I wiggled the washer to remove any air then allowed to dry. (Note: in the picture I did not add water to the washer or pan.)

Once cured it’s ready to put in your Z Palette or any magnetic palette.

Over all I think this is a fantastic method if you don’t have the round or square metal stickers from Z Palette or if the metal stickers are too large for the pans you want to use. Remember, this method will only work if the palette you’re using already is magnetic. If you’re using a palette with a metal interior such as an ELF quad pan you need to use magnetic stickers.

You can buy thin magnet strips from a craft store for under $3 which you can cut down to fit what you need. Another method suggested by another member at Makeup Talk is to use the thin magnets that sometimes come on your phone book or pizza boxes, simply cut it size and glue to the item you want to become a magnet but that’s a different DIY.

There are two downsides to this washer method. The first is the wrong size washer. What ever your smallest pan is you need to get washers that fit that size. Too large of a washer and obviously it’s not going to work. The second downside is using the wrong glue. While Gorilla Glue bonded really well it takes several hours for the glue to dry, I would recommend if you do this either to use Super Glue which dries quickly or do this in the evening so you can set the pans aside to allow the glue to dry. Also because the washers have a hole in the center the glue is going to come up through the center so you want to make sure to clean that up while the glue is wet since once dry it’s pretty difficult to remove the excess glue.

Big thanks to Ashley for sharing her idea with us at Makeup Talk!

New Beauty Test Tube

My New Beauty iPad app updated with the newest issue of New Beauty magazine last week so I had previously posted about the QVC Test Tube. So here is a preview of the Spring-Summer products in this quarter’s TestTube!

The New Beauty Test Tube while similar to QVC are not always identical in products. The NBTT will also no longer be a quarterly subscription but now will be every other month for a total of six tubes per year. At $29.95 plus shipping this might cause some people to drop their subscriptions and for others may be an incentive to sign up. The magazine no longer will be shipping with the boxes since the magazine is still quarterly while the boxes will ship every other month.

Price: $29.95
Shipping: $8.95
Tax: Varies

Image from New Beauty website. Products may vary per tube.

• Clear Total Care Nourishing Daily Shampoo & Conditioner (pg 110)
• Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser (pg 24)
• Three SpaLook promo codes
• June Jacobs -??
• Spotlife Face Wraps — ??
• Phyto  — ??
• Paula Dorf — ??
• ??

I’ll update this as I find more info as it’s hard to tell from the picture and the digital magazine only has two of the items in the issue.

I chose at the end of Winter 2012 not to renew for 2013 because the first tube came at the same time I was saving for IMATS however since IMATS is over I’m kind of tempted to get this tube.

Ipsy: April 2013 sneak peeks

Ready for April? No April Fools Jokes from me Ipsy is starting to release their sneak peeks. Get ready for it! The first one is something subscribers have been wanting for a long time…. BLUSH!

Note: This blog post will be updated over the next week or two as more sneak peeks released or as more info is found.

Sneak peek released 3/28/2013

APRIL GLAM BAG SNEAK PEEK #1: You’re going to be blushing with excitement as we’re putting in one of the most requested items in this month’s Glam Bag! http://mygl.am/OfficialAprilGlamBag2013SneakPeek1

Possibly NYX, possibly Be A Bombshell. At this time no other info is known. Confirmed from Ve and a couple of other people that the “resubscribe email” states it as being Be A Bombshell blush.

Thank you Diana for sharing the picture from the Ipsy “resubscribe” email.

Image from Jessica Harlow via Instagram Posted March 29, 2013

Be A Bombshell Blush – “Beach Please” and ?? MicaBeauty/MicaBella Shimmer Powder – “Earth” Sation nail polish – ?? Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment Keep in mind as an Ipsy STYLIST she’ll get everything. Members maybe getting only one blush and one nail polish as these maybe the “OR” items.

All of this for only $10. As of March 29, 2013 subscriptions are open.

Sneak Peek #2 was posted on their Facebook page on March 28.

APRIL GLAM BAG SNEAK PEEK #2: Shimmer and shine! One of these shadows is going to make your spring divine. http://mygl.am/OfficialApril2013GlamBagSneakPeek2

Unfortunately no joke one of the items shown is from Two Cosmetics as they shared Ipsy’s Sneak Peek. Personally, I don’t trust Two Cosmetics because they mislead customers from 2011 (possibly even before IMATS LA) until recently by claiming the Lady Burd Paint Wheels which they were selling as eye shadow were eye safe and were staining which is why it wasn’t approved for the eye. Here is my original warning on Two Cosmetics and the follow up. So for me it’s a matter of trust in why I don’t want Two Cosmetics products.

Official sneak peek #3 hasn’t been posted as of April 1 but no joke this is Sneak Peak #3 which was posted on MUT by one of the members who found it. Big Sexy hair products, looks like a choice of one of two Big Sexy hair. I really liked the hairspray so I’m excited for what ever I get from Big Sexy hair.

Koren Zander Pro Brush Soap

In January I had posted a mini-review of Koren Zander’s 5ekz Ultra Conditioning Brush Soap but recently Koren refomulated the soap to remove certain ingredients that may cause allergic reactions in people and the soap now includes a travel case! The new soap is now called Koren Zander Pro Brush Soap.

I placed my order and within a week my ordered arrived. As with the original soap this new version is easy to use simply wet the bar with water and rub your wet brush bristles on the the soap then scrub the brush on the loofah side to remove the makeup off the brush before rinsing in warm water.

Size Differences
Size wise these appear to be the same size however the difference is that the Pro Brush Soap is 2.75 oz and comes in a plastic travel container while the original is 2.5 oz and comes wrapped in paper.

Packaging Differences
I love the original paper wrapper since it reminded me of a soap my mother use to buy called Maja. Maja came wrapped in black paper with folds just like Koren’s soap so when I first saw his brush soap all wrapped up it really did remind me of my mother’s beauty soap. Funny how something simple as paper packaging can invoke a childhood memory.

The Pro soaps now come in a clear plastic travel case so you can see the Enkore Makeup logo through the top of the case. I’m so glad he is now including a plastic case with the soaps since before you couldn’t travel with the soap since it did not fit most plastic soap containers.

I think he should keep the original paper version as well as a “refill” option for those already owning the plastic case and sell the “refill” as a $1 less. Maybe he will eventually offer that but at this time the soaps now are only sold with the case for $8.

Price Differences
Price is a little more but not by much. IMATS price on the original was $5 while the online price was $6, if I recall correctly, but it launched online for $4.50. The new one – which is now simply called Pro Brush Soap – is $8. I think it’s a fair price since you’re getting 0.25 oz more and a container for it.

Also, Koren has reduced the shipping prices! I remember I was originally going to order more off his site because the original soaps were only $4.50 on his site after IMATS but what kept me from ordering was shipping since it was going through FedEx and the shipping was something like $11.95 which for this person is just way too expensive (anything more than $5.95 in shipping is way too much for me unless it’s going overnight or 2nd Day). It looks like Koren is now going through USPS Priority which of course is far less than $11.95 so depending on what you’re ordering shipping maybe as little as $5.50 if not less.

Ingredients Differences
The ingredients is where you see the biggest differences. Originally I did place a warning on his soaps and previous wrote this:

“Now a warning. While you are rinsing the soap off the potential for residual oil to remain on the brush is still there so you do need to be careful if you are allergic to almonds or any of the other ingredients.”

This is where the biggest change was made in that he removed the potential allergens that were in it. Here’s what Koren wrote on his site:

“By popular request, all the soaps now come in a CONTAINER for storage, travel, or kit.

Slight change in ingredients, yet still the same awesome soaps!

As many expressed allergy/sensitivity to Palm Oil (foaming), Coconut Oil (lauric acid), and Sweet Almond Oil (conditioner), I have taken these ingredients out and replaced with Sodium laureth sulfate (foaming), Sodium laurate (lauric acid), and Apricot Kernel Oil (conditioner).

I hope more of you can now enjoy these Brush Soaps!“

I and others voiced our concerns about those allergies and sensitivities – for me the concern was primarily with the almond oil that was in it so I’m VERY happy that Koren listen and changed the ingredients. You know that he’s not just out to make a quick buck but rather is trying to fill a need for products that are not out there or not easily accessible. So kudos to Koren on providing us with a product that’s needed and one that’s safer to use.
PRO Brush Soap Ingredients:

Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Laurate, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Passionfruit (Brazilian Maracuja) Seed Oil, Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, Jojoba Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Loofah.

May Contain (+/-): Iron Oxides, FD&C Lakes, Polyester-3, Fragrance. *Unscented does not have fragrance.

Original ingredients:

Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycine, Purified water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Sorbitan oleate, Soy bean protein, Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Loofah.

May contain (+/-): fragrance oil, essential oil, titanium dioxide, iron oxides, polyester-3, FD&C & D&C colorants.

There are other differences between the original and revised soap ingredients so again if you have any allergies take a look at the ingredients list before purchase or use. The new version contains Passion Fruit Seed Oil but no longer contains Safflower Oil.

Texture differences
With the ingredients changes the soap does feel different and has a stickier feel to it. The original soap when new out of the wrap didn’t have a sticky feel to it while the revamped version does. It’s not a big deal but there possibly will be someone out there that won’t like the texture because there is a noticeable residue feel to the fingers when handling the soap. Of course once you wash your hands after washing your brushes that residue will go away but I know a few people who have issues with textures so just bear that in mind if you’re one of those types of people.

Scent differences
Another major difference are the scents. I purchased two of the Pro Soaps in Gardenia and Jasmine; considering I already had Gardenia from IMATS I immediately noticed there is a big difference between the original scent and the revamped soap. The newer soaps have a very strong scent which I enjoy very much since I’m a Gardenia and Jasmine addict however if fragrances trigger headaches for you or your clients I would suggest that you get the unscented pro soap instead of any of the soaps with fragrances.

Pro Brush Soap vs Pro ULTRA Brush Soap
I contemplated ordering the Pro ULTRA brush soap but decided not to at this time. The Pro Ultra is $10.95 for 2.75 oz. The difference between the Pro Ultra Soap and Pro soap is that the Ultra does not have Artificial Fragrances or DYES. There still is fragrance in the Ultra soap but the fragrance comes from the lavender, rosemary, lemon and tea tree oils in it. If you’re a working professional you may want to choose the Pro Ultra. I’m hoping Koren will have the Pro Ultra at PHAME later this summer.

Overall thoughts

For those who do beauty makeup this may not be an issue however those doing special effects makeup you may find that Koren’s soap or even Mona Lisa’s Pink Soap won’t remove certain products such as adhesives from the bristles so you’ll want to use Parian Spirit or something similar first to remove those types of products then wash with Koren’s brush soap to remove any other residue such as the oils from Parian Spirit.

I like how the new Pro Brush Soaps smell and the packaging but I have yet to test it out to see how well it works compared to the original. I’ve been pretty pleased with the original soap and have found that it does a pretty decent job of cleaning my brushes.

So would I buy it again? Absolutely. If the new Pro soap works as well or even better than the original I’d absolutely buy it again. If you’ve been looking for an affordable brush soap then check out Koren Zander’s Pro Brush Soap for only $8 on his website.

FTC Disclaimer: Not affiliated with nor compensated by Enkore Makeup. Soaps purchased for personal and business use.

QVC New Beauty Test Tube Spring-Summer 2013

My New Beauty iPad app just updated with the newest issue of New Beauty magazine. So here is a preview of the Spring-Summer products in this quarter’s TestTube!

Price: $29.95
Shipping: $6.95
Tax: varies

1. Algenist Triple Action Micropolish & Peel, 1oz
2. Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Daily Moisturizer, 0.17 oz
3. Mally’s Volumizing Mascara, 0.39 oz (full size)
4. Perfect Formula Manicure Booster, 0.60 oz
5. Philosophy Hope in a Jar night, 0.40 oz
6. Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel, 1 oz
7. Tarte Skinny smolderEYES, 0.04 oz (full size)
8. WEN Replenishing Treatment Mist

Available April 5 on QVC.com.

Before you groan about yet another WEN cleanser in the tube it’s not the cleanser but a spray mist that you can use on facial skin, body or hair. The only repeat items are the Josie Maran moisturizer and Mally mascara.

Julep: The April Boxes

It’s almost April! Seriously! APRIL! Where in the world is time going because it just turned 2013 last week?

Today is Julep’s Maven selection and like last month the new Modern Beauty, which replaced American Beauty, does not contain nail polishes.
I’m not liking Modern Beauty because American Beauty typically had some nice polish colors in it. They should have kept American Beauty and added Modern Maven instead. Oh well, what can you do? I was unhappy with the Modern Beauty’s lack of polishes so what was my solution? Pick the entire collection of course! LOL Oh Julep, you know exactly how to part me with my points. LOL

	Modern Beauty Dry Clean Invisible Dry Shampoo: This lightweight spray-on powder absorbs oil, adds body, and leaves no residue. Enjoy fresh, voluminous locks and an extra snooze cycle or two. Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: Peptides–super-charged amino acids that build keratin (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles)–are our Mighty Nail Serum’s secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.
	Boho Glam Lena: Teal with gold shimmer Kaylen: Neon orange crème Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: Peptides–super-charged amino acids that build keratine (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles)–are our Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum’s secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.
	Bombshell Ally: Electric blueberry frost Janel: Pink raspberry frost Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: Peptides–super-charged amino acids that build keratine (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles)–are our Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum’s secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.
	Classic With A Twist Avery: Hot pink crème Jackie: Maraschino cherry crème Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: Peptides–super-charged amino acids that build keratine (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles)–are our Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum’s secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.
	It Girl Abbie: Sunshine yellow crème Eden: Bright violet crème MacKenzie: Sour apple green frost
	Brights Collection Upgrade to the Brights Collection (a $190 value) to get all nine NEW April colors including a BONUS polish of the Rock Candy Nail Glaze, plus our Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum and Dry Clean Invisible Dry Shampoo. Set includes: Lena – Boho Glam: Teal with gold shimmer Kaylen – Boho Glam: Neon orange crème Ally – Bombshell: Electric blueberry frost Janel – Bombshell: Pink raspberry frost Avery – Classic with a Twist: Hot pink crème Jackie – Classic with a Twist: Maraschino cherry crème Abbie – It Girl: Sunshine yellow crème Eden – It Girl: Bright violet crème MacKenzie – It Girl: Sour apple green frost BONUS: Candy – Boho Glam: Grape rock candy nail glaze Dry Clean Invisible Dry Shampoo: This lightweight spray-on powder absorbs oil, adds body, and leaves no residue. Enjoy fresh, voluminous locks and an extra snooze cycle or two. Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum: Peptides – super-charged amino acids that build keratin (for your nails) and collagen (for your cuticles) – are our Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum’s secret weapon to transform dry and damaged cuticles almost overnight. Plus, get visibly stronger, smoother nails with fewer ridges and less splitting and brittleness in only 2-3 weeks.

The colors this month look fun, a definite welcome to me since I’m so tired of muted or soft colors, give me a bright bold color to get me out of the last winter blues.

For those not familiar with Julep Maven, it’s a monthly subscription and for $19.99 per month (plus applicable tax if any) you get one of these boxes after you take a quiz which determines which style you are. If you want the whole collection it’s an additional $30 for a total of $49.99 (plus applicable tax). Add-ons begin at an additional $4.99 and go up depending on the item you want to add. Beginning the 20th of each month through the 24th your Maven window opens and you can select your default style or pick a different style. You can choose to skip the month but you have to do so before the 25th or cancel at any time. If you’re not sure about Julep you can always try the Intro box for a penny (promo code).

Disclaimer: Referral link enclosed. Information and images from Julep.

Edit: To be clear – to get the intro box for a penny use the promo code penny.

How I get some free stuff

I’m asked sometimes how do I get free stuff. Well some items are sent to me for reviewing purposes free of charge, some I received from BzzAgent or Influenster and others I buy on Amazon or other sites but don’t pay for it out of my own pocket. I’m going to discuss briefly on the latter – how to get free stuff from Amazon, Target or Sephora using Swagbucks.

I love earning free stuff, who doesn’t? One of things I use to earn free stuff is a toolbar from a company called Swagbucks. “Swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called “Swag Bucks”, which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks.com merchandise” – from Swagbucks website. I love their toolbar and use it more frequently than Google because with each search you have the potential to earn Swagbucks ranging from a couple of SBs to 100 SBs depending on your “luck”.

Once you’ve accumulated enough SBs you can redeems those SBs for a variety of items including gift certificates to Sephora, Amazon, Target, Paypal, Walmart, Starbucks and so many other companies. I normally exchange my SBs for Amazon gift cards because for every 450 SBs you redeem you get a $5 Amazon e-certificate to use on Amazon. I’ve also exchanged it for Sephora which was more SBs – 500 SBs for a $5 e-certificate.

Now I do have to point out that sometimes the more money the gift certificate (e-certificate) is valued the more SBs it takes and sometimes it’s not worth it. For example, a $5 Amazon is 450 SBs while the $15 Amazon is 1500 SBs which breaks down to an extra 150 SBs more since you can get three $5 Amazon e-certificates for 1350.

I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for over three years now and I’ve earned a few hundred dollars in e-certificates which I’ve used at Sephora and Amazon on a variety of products ranging from shoes to makeup to cellphone accessories. My middle daughter earns more than I do because she does the surveys and does more than just searches so she’s earned enough for a new MP3 player, wigs (she’s a cosplayer), shoes, clothes and so much more.

It’s free to join, free to use and you earn free e-certificates to use on sites you probably already use.

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/Zadidoll

Disclaimer: Referral link

My Thoughts: The March 2013 Ipsy bag & products

Well my bag finally arrived today along with two of my daughters, the third is at the post office so I’m not sure why it wasn’t delivered today since it’s been in town since the 11th. Oh well, it’ll get here when it gets here.

So initially I was VERY excited for the March 2013 “Great Escape” bag because the products looked amazing! It turned out to be… well just okay and in some ways a bit of a disappointment.

The bag pattern is cute with the ropes and anchors but for a Spring bag it felt out of place for March and like others I think it would have been more appropriate for June or July rather than March.

The quality of the bag isn’t terrible compared to a few previous bags we’ve received but to me it reminds me of a baby’s diaper cover due to how flimsy the bag is with a distinct lack of padding. The diaper cover idea actually came from someone on MUT so now it’s stuck in my head that it really does remind me of a baby diaper cover. It’s also on the sheer side and if you look closely at my photo you can see the contents of the bag thought the stripes. Still it’s not a terrible bag like the gold glitter bag that was a glitter bomb mess for me or the March 2012 bag which reeked despite being cute. Bottom line is that this bag didn’t meet my expectations despite having a cute pattern.

Travel wipes, again. I actually like getting travel wipes as these tend to be very useful while traveling on the road. I typically keep baby wipes, makeup wipes and disinfecting wipes in my car just in case. I’m actually kind of excited to try these ones from LA Fresh. I’ve tried their nail polish wipes which I thought were okay but honest I doubt I’ll ever buy polish wipes while on the other hand I probably would buy a full size or more travel size facial wipes.

As for the scent, it has a rosy baby powder scent to me. Actually the fragrance, like the bag, reminds me of baby products so it’s kind of an… odd fragrance. It’s not bad but it does remind me of Johnson and Johnson’s baby lotion in the pink bottle. (If you’re a parent you’ll probably be able to identify which bottle I’m talking about.) This scent I think may be off putting to some people.

So the next item in the bag was Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, 1 fl oz. I’ve been reading on Makeup Talk how some people found the scent to be disgusting and repulsive but honestly I’m not exactly repulsed by it. I’ve mentioned on my blog and on my Facebook wall how Gardenia and Jasmine remind me of my mother’s garden when I was a child well this mist from Juice Beauty reminds me of tea roses. The scent isn’t entirely bad for me but I’m not exactly fond of how tea roses smell.

I did find the mist to be refreshing but right now I’m fighting a fever so it feels so good on my hot face. It’s kind of sticky though or it could just be that it feel off on my skin right now because of that fever. Would I buy a full size bottle of it? Probably not. There was one that I received in a Birchbox last summer that I liked but if anyone makes one that’s lavender scented I’d probably buy that since I’m a sucker for lavender.

The Yaby Cosmetics shadows on the other hand were duds for me. Not only do these lack in pigmentation but the texture of the shadow felt chalky to me. I’ll have to swatch these when I have better light.

I received So Vein (teal) and Sand Dune (dark beige) while two of my daughters received Seashell (cream color with a hint of pink) and Azalea (more of a wine color I think). My eldest daughter’s bag should be here tomorrow.

I borrowed my son’s arm for swatches which I did over Saucebox Cosmetics shadow primer.

Maybe I’m spoiled by Lime Crime, Saucebox Cosmetics and Sugarpill Cosmetics and expect all shadows to go on with one swipe and be not only richly pigmented but also buttery and soft. These shadows from Yaby didn’t have that feel to me. I’m not sure how well the color can be built with these shadows but out of all four I think I like Seashell since it’s subtle. I wish So Vein looked on the skin as it does in the pan because it’s a gorgeous color. I wonder, how well it compared to M•A•C Cosmetics Jealousy Wakes…?

Lastly, Glam RX highly anticipate empty magnetic palette – the Mini Freestyle Palette. I was SO excited for this since I just bought three large Z Palettes and received those earlier this week and I had hoped the one from Glam RX would be the same size as Z Palette’s Small palette. Needless to say the palette from Glam RX was a bit of a let down due to the size. When I opened by pink bubble mailer from Ipsy I pulled out the Glam Bag and wondered where the mini palette was at. When I opened the bag and pulled the Glam RX palette out the first words out of my mouth was, “Seriously?! Wow, that’s TINY.”

The interior of the palette is smaller than a business card and the whole thing is just slightly bigger than a business card. It’s THAT tiny and honestly really isn’t suitable for 1″ pans like the Mirabella shadow Ipsy sent out a few months ago. Unfortunately the Coastal Scents shadows sent out by Ipsy will not stick to the magnet in the Glam RX palette because it won’t stick to a Z Palette and since those are tiny the Z Palette metal stickers won’t work either since those are intended for 1″ pans and not for anything smaller.

Large zebra print Z Palette next to Glam RX Mini Freestyle Palette
The interior of the Glam RX is a little smaller than a business card and by far smaller than Z Palette’s small palette which holds nine 1″ pans while the Glam RX barely fits three 1″ pans. I had to push the blue pan in hard to get it to fit and I hoped it wouldn’t break in my attempt to see if three 1″ pans would fit. I think my green shadow pan is dented now when I had to push the blue pan in. Definitely won’t be doing that again.

It is a cute palette but it’s kind of a hassle because only mini pans like the samples from TheBalm would be suited for this tiny palette. I ended up removing from the sample packaging theBalm’s Meet Matt(e) shadow that I got in a previous Ipsy bag as well as my sample of theBalm’s Mary-Lou Manizer and Hot Mama. The magnet in the sample packaging are TINY little magnets and a tiny piece of metal so I ended up putting those in a jar for possible use in a DIY project.

Parian Spirit removes the glue residue off the bottom of the sample pans but make sure you lightly spray the back at a distance and avoid getting it on the product.

Overall while I appreciate the thought that went into this month’s Ipsy bag it actually was a bit of a let down compared to the hype built up. I think if the same items but from different companies were sent out then it would be a smashing success. For example, had a small Z Palette been sent out instead of the Glam RX palette that would have been better since nine 1″ pans would fit it instead of barely three in the Glam RX palette. Had the shadows had better pigmentation than I would have been happier. I can’t complain too much about the Juice Beauty mist or the LA Fresh wipes since I am going to use those items but I don’t think I would repurchase it. In fact, I don’t think anything in this month’s bag I would go out and purchase more of or purchase a full size of so to me this month ended up being a bit of a let down. Oh well, can’t win them all and hopefully next month’s bag will be better. My March 2013 Birchbox on the other hand looks promising. Hope the eyeshadow is a real sample and not another piece of paper with some shadow pressed on it.

FTC Disclaimer: Ipsy subscriptions purchased by me for my own personal use and the personal use of my daughters. See disclaimers page for more info.

My thoughts: Lilly’s Lashes

Well I ordered three pairs and I don’t suggest ordering from them until they fix their shipping issues. So what’s the issue? Cheap mailing envelops in which crushed packaging/lashes come in.

I ordered Cairo, Istanbul and Tehran for $6.99 each and paid $5.99 in shipping. I don’t mind paying shipping so long as the rate is reasonable and the items I ordered don’t arrive damaged. In this case the shipping packaging was cheap and the lashes boxes came crushed.

So the lashes arrived in a white mailing envelope intended for papers. If it was a bubble mailer the lashes probably would be fine but it wasn’t a bubble mailer at all and as a result the packaging came crushed.

On top of that it came via First Class mail and postage was paid for via Paypal’s merchant shipping which means it was VERY INEXPENSIVE to ship. Looking it up a 3 oz package from them to me was only $1.32 at most. If you factor in the value of the envelope at most it was $1.60… and I paid $5.99 for shipping.

The bottoms of the packaging were open as in the pic while at the top those were starting to open. This only happens when packaging is crushed.

As for the lashes itself, those look fine but my big beef about it is that I feel absolutely ripped off with the shipping since I essentially paid over $4 more for shipping. To me they either should have used a bubble mailer, used a box OR used a free Priority Shipping box and ship via Priority to justify the $5.99 cost. In my head if they get 100 orders of three pairs or less and are shipping in this exact manner they’re going to make over $400 in profit! If they ship 1000 orders like mine then it’s a $4,000 profit. I don’t fault them for wanting to make a profit but NOT when it means the product packaging arrives damaged. And no, I’m not saying they’re TRYING to rip people off only that is how I feel when I saw the cheap mailing envelope. If it came in a bubble mailer I wouldn’t have thought anything of it since Ipsy uses a bubble mailer instead of fancy packaging.

BTW – the lashes themselves are nice looking but these are definitely just repackaged for them. These are possibly Red Cherry lashes but I’m not entirely sure (Red Cherry are between $2 to $3 each retail). It’s also possible these are just generic made in China but there is no point of origin on the packaging. Still I pay as much for Katy Perry’s lashes from Eylure and more for from other companies).

Cairo = 605 Black

Istanbul = 523 Black

Tehran = D Wispy

Edit: Ok, so after venting here on my blog I DID email them about it because the shipping thing really bugged me. They apologized about it which to me marks a GOOD company is if they apologize and if they apologize in a timely manner. In Lilly’s case they did with both – it came shortly after I emailed them and I was offered a replacement for the crushed lashes. 

So would I re-purchase? At this time no, not until I know they fixed the way items are shipped out. I don’t expect a fancy custom designed shipping box but I do expect it to come undamaged and that’s what irked me the most. While I appreciate that they will replace the lashes I really do believe that had a proper shipping box or padded envelope was used you would have seen a completely different blog post because the items would have arrived intact and undamaged.

I forgot to mention that these were shipped pretty quickly from the time I ordered to when it shipped to when I actually got the lashes so that’s a plus for me. Nothing more I hate than two to three weeks waiting for something after I ordered it because it’s on a pony cart some place. LOL

Eye Boutique Shadow Shields

You may already be familiar with Shadow Shields which came as a sample from The Look Bag in the February 2012 bag. These are now available at RiteAid for $5.99 for 14 shields (essentially seven pairs) as Eye Boutique Shadow Shields. There is a $1 off coupon on the Eye Boutique site making these only $4.99 plus applicable tax.

I originally posted this about the samples sent from The Look Bag: “I do find these to be useful but I wouldn’t buy these when a simple (and less expensive) Post-It would work just as well. I can go to my local Dollar Tree and but a package of 100 Post-It for $1. So for me while it’s a useful products it’s also a dud because I’m cheap and wouldn’t spend $8 (plus shipping) on 30 shields.“

I still think that for the most part. There are always cons and pros of any product and it will always depend on the person’s point of view on that product. That’s why these were a dud for me when I first got these because 15 pairs for $10 plus shipping, honestly not worth it to me. For the every day person who does not have a pro card and can’t go to trade shows these are pricey. Do you want to spend that much money for only seven pairs at the drugstore?

I DO see the merit of these items ESPECIALLY if you buy in bulk and if you have a pro discount OR buy these at a trade show for less money. I think there is a need for these types of products especially when you don’t want to do your face makeup last or use a lot of powder especially if you have dry skin or a client with dry skin.

So here’s my current opinion on Shadow Shields.

For the working pro with a pro discount card to Naimies or any other professional distributor, yes these are worth it. These make doing elaborate eye work without the worry of fall out on the face much more easy and make work faster and simpler. You’re most likely going to pay between 25% to 40% less than retail depending on the your pro card and the distributor. So to the working pro, I do suggest these if you’re not already using these.

For the non-pro or every day person, no these are not worth it because you’re going to be paying between 78 cents to 86 cents per pair of shields and there are less expensive options such as using a Post-It or powder or tape than using Shadow Shields. I honestly cannot recommend nor suggest buying these to the every day person because of the cost. If you have no qualms with the cost then go for it, you’ll find these are useful to have because these do indeed catch fall out.

Personally, I wouldn’t buy these again from RiteAid, even with the $1 off coupon it’s still around 78 cents per pair (factoring in tax for me). I want to say at IMATS these were $4 for a box of 30 which is something like around 26 cents a pair which is much more reasonable to me than 78 cents or even 86 cents. If you have the chance to go to any trade shows open to the public then I would suggest going and picking these up there. I will pick more of these up at PHAMExpo in June if Naimies has these there but I won’t buy more at RiteAid.

Yes, I like these, I just hate the price.

Disclaimer: Shadow Shields purchased by me at Riteaid for my own personal use.