Today I have my August Battle of the Boxes Ipsy vs. Play by Sephora for you. Both are $10 a month subscription services that let you try out the latest makeup and skincare products. Ipsy guarantees 4-5 deluxe sized samples with at least 1 being full sized while Sephora usually has 5-6 sample sizes with 1 always being a fragrance.
Ipsy’s theme this month was Sugar Highness and you could get 2 different bag designs. Both were designed by Ipsy co-founder Michelle Phan which is really awesome! I got 6 items with 4 being full sized! I will also have coupon codes for the brands in this months bag. The codes don’t have to be used on the items I mention.
The first item I received was a full sized Dermelect 'ME' Peptide Infused Lacquer in UNSCRIPTED nail polish. This retails for $14 and is infused with ingredients to help weak brittle nails stay strong and healthy. Here are some of the other claims from their site:
· strengthens weak, brittle nails
· restores flexibility
· helps resist chipping and splitting
· superior extended wear
· water and detergent resistant
· UV protected
· DBP, Toluene & Formaldehyde free
· cruelty free- no animal testing, ever!
The color I got is a beautiful medium toned Lilac! I actually have a similar color to this that I love! I think it is perfect for spring/summer so I will be holding on to this till next season. If I didn’t just wear this color I would have put it one! Get 20% off HERE with code Ipsy-20.
The next items I received were 2 Sally's Box Secret Garden Ampoule Masks. One of the things I love about Ipsy is they not only count sending 2 of the same thing as 1 product but the fact that they send multiples of things that need more than one try before you can see if it works or not. These retail for $6 each and the 2 I got were the Olive Oil Mask which nourishes skin and helps diminish the look of fine lines and the Camellia Oil Mask which gives you a radiant glow. These masks are cool because they are 2 step sheet masks. You first rip the top open and pat the serum all over your face. Then you put the sheet mask that is also damp with ingredients over your face to help really seal in the skincare benefits. After you take it off you pat the remaining products into your skin and you’re done! I used the Olive Oil one and my skin instantly felt soft, smooth and radiant! Check them out HERE.
The next item I received was a travel size of the Sympan Beauty ONE Moisture Cream which retails for $20. According to their site, these are tested on every skin type, is great at wrinkle reduction, increases skin firmness and brightens! Check out the other benefits below:
·Bendable with all foundations, powders and primers
·Instantly evens skin tone
·Chocked-full of super succulent aloe–ultra moisturizing and calming
I use this cream at night because it doesn’t have SPF in it. It has an interesting scent that is neither good nor bad. It is a super rich cream that just melts into my skin. I feel like it is super moisturizing but as someone with oily skin I do notice my skin feeling a little greasier in the morning after I have used it. This doesn’t bother me too much as I wash my face off in the morning but if you have oily skin I wouldn’t recommend using this during the day. I also haven’t seen any improvement with my skin tone yet. Fingers crossed! Get 30% off HERE with the code IPSY30.
The next product I received was a sample size of the IT Cosmetics No-Tug Waterproof Mini Gel Eyeliner in black. As someone who suffers from year round allergies and sneezes a lot I have been on the hunt for an eyeliner that I can tight line my top lashes without it smudging to my bottom ones. Their website says it is a smooth formula that glides on without damaging delicate lids. I would have to agree that this glides on so smooth and is super pigmented! I usually find that super creamy formulas tend to move around on my eyes but this one stays put! It only transfers to my lower lash line a tiny bit but if you don’t sneeze a million times a day like I do I think you will find that it stays put all day! It also removes easily with waterproof eye makeup remover. Check it out HERE.
The final product in my Ipsy bag this month was a full sized Beau Gachis Paris Pro Series Applicator Sponge. This retails for $12 and is comparable to the BeautyBlender. I recently got into using my beloved BeautyBlender for foundation so I was excited to try this one out and see how they compare. Here are some of their claims from their website: This latex-free wonder is stiff enough for precise application of cream blushes and highlighters, as well as foundation. It is also safe for anyone allergic or sensitive to latex, blends better than a brush or your fingers and has a unique teardrop shape is easy to hold and maneuver. I found that this does apply foundation great but not as great as my BeautyBlender. What I actually find this perfect for is patting powder on my face. I cover one side in powder then press it on my skin and I find this makes my large pores smaller and helps set everything nicely. It also cleans easily and can be used damp or dry. Get 25% off HERE with code beautifulipster25.
Overall my Ipsy this month had a great variety. One of my favorite things about Ipsy is all the different items you try out are so diverse and at many different price points. My favorite item is the sponge. Subscribe to Ipsy HERE
This month’s Play by Sephora theme was The Eye Openers and we receive 6 samples. None are full sized which is OK with me. I know that Sephora has higher priced items so as long as the samples are big enough to try I don’t mind them being smaller.
The first item was the Lancôme Énergie de Vie The Smoothing & Glow Boosting Liquid Moisturizer. The website claims this is good for all skin types and refreshes, protects and hydrates skin to get rid of uneven skin tone and dryness. I like to pat this on in the evenings as my serum before moisturizer so it can really sink in over time. I don’t use it during the day because I don’t like to add more products to my oily skin during the day. I find that when I wake up after using this I have a glow! A little goes along way with this as well. It smells clean and fresh and feels luxurious on the skin. Check it out HERE.
The next item was a sample of the Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Eye Lifting Balm. For an expensive eye cream sample I must say this is a great size! I use this eye cream at night and find that it sinks in really well and doesn’t leave a heavy sticky feeling behind that I find a lot of other eye creams do. This one is supposed to quickly reduce dark circles, puffiness, and smooth the appearance of wrinkles. This sinks in quickly and has a nice pleasant scent. I haven’t seen results yet but I know with skincare it can take a while. Check it out HERE.
The next item was a sample size of the SEPHORA COLLECTION Contour Eye Pencil 12hr Wear Waterproof in the color flirting game. This is a super creamy eye pencil and the color is a purplely taupe color. Super beautiful! I am excited to use it to create a smokey eye which I learned how to do in my latest FREE Sephora class! Check out my write up HERE. I find that this is super long wearing and highly pigmented. The color also goes perfectly with the next item from the box. Check it out HERE.
The next item was a sample size of the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Shadow Eye shadowin the color I-544. This can be depotted an put into a Z pallet which I plan to do. It is a perfect brownish purple that goes perfectly with the liner above. I think both would create an amazing smokey eye together. I also like wearing this lighting on my lip during the day. It blends out beautifully and doesn’t crease when using a primer! This formula comes in a ton of different shades so check them out HERE.
To finish off the look I received a baby sample of the Urban Decay Perversion mascara in black. I have tried this mascara before and honestly love it! It has a medium dry/wet formula and grabs on and plumps up every lash creating volume and length. It is also a super black color and doesn’t flake off during the day. It also removed easily at night. It gives the perfect false lash effect as well. Check it out HERE.
The fragrance we received this month was CLEAN Reserve Blonde Rose. This is a very classic feminine scent that leans a bit too mature for me. I wasn’t a fan of this scent because it was too heavy. If you are into mature rose scents you might like this! Check it out HERE.
Overall I feel the sample sizes in Play by Sephora were great and I loved all the items. I liked the focus on the eyes this month especially after going to my Sephora makeup class. Check my review out HERE. My favorite item is the eye shadow. Sign up for Play by Sephora HERE.
Overall I think both boxes/bags were great. I wasn’t disappointed in anything except the fragrance. Both had such a great variety and I got to try out some awesome things!
