New Beauty Subscription - LipMonthly

Good Morning Beauty Gems -

This week flew by faster than others. So many different things going on.  I'm a little sad because that means summer is quickly coming to an end.  Let's just enjoy the remaining days that much more. Early last month, I signed up for a new beauty subscription called Lip Monthly.  This service is very new (started sometime in June).  Lip Monthly is a subscription service dedicated to beauty lip products. Each month, LipMonthly will provide you with 4 various lip products.  A 5th product is also included.  That 5th product would be an assorted beauty item not necessarily lip related.

I received my first subscription package a few days ago.  My products were sent in a plain, white envelope. The items are packed in this cute beauty bag:

Here's a picture of the products I received for August:

The brand featured in this month's bag was City Color Cosmetics. 

The first item I went to was the City Color Be Matte Lipstick in Phoebe (M33).  The color is a mid-tone pink with great pigmentation (swatched below). I'll be very curious to see the lasting power of this lipstick. 

Also included was the City Color Lip Balm in Ultra Pink. This is a coral pink color. However, you may be able to get away with wearing this year-round only because the color isn't too bright. This is more on the neutral side (from what I can tell so far).

I also received the City Color Magic Balm. Just a basic lip balm that applies clear.

Let's not forget...Jesse's Girl Liquid Glass Lip Gloss in Lip Lock. A very Barbie pink. The lip gloss has a nice vanilla scent (reminds me of vanilla cake...yumm). 

Included as well in this month's bag (as the special beauty product; non-lippie) was the Pixie Lip Last Shadow Pen in Gilded Mink. This swatches like an antique gold color. Would be a great shadow base for the upcoming fall season. 

  

I'm really liking this subscription service so far. We'll see how the preceding month's bags are. 

If you're interested in learning more about or signing up for Lip Monthly, be sure to visit their website at www.lipmonthly.com

Ok gems I'm off to tweak the remaining posts for this week. Until next time...happy shopping!!!!

HIS Two Cents (My Two Cents Man Edition): Dollar Shave Monthly Subscription

Hello Beauty Gems!!  Welcome to a special edition of HIS Two Cents (AKA My Two Cents). Over the last 10 months, all of my posts relate to beauty products. Specifically, alot of topics I choose are catered to an audience of skincare, haircare and makeup lovers. In the interest of doing something different, I consulted my boyfriend.  He and I both were complaining about the cost of razors.  They're very expensive and not a alot of cheaper alternatives available...until now.  Back in June, I decided to register for the Dollar Shave Club.

This was a present I gave some men in my life as father's day gifts.  I wanted to share with my beauty gems the 411 on this subscription service.  Dollar Shave Club is a monthly subscription service that allows you to purchase disposable razors.  Each month, you receive 4 disposable blades.  Upon initial registration, you select one of the following handle options:

 

Humble Twin 

The basic shaver.  Each cartridge contains 2 stainless steel blades. You'll receive 5 disposable cartridges per month for just $1.

The 4X

An added kick to your shaving needs. Each cartridge contains stainless steel blades.  Each month, you'll receive 4 cartridges for only $6.

The Executive

The Creme de la Creme.  There are 6 stainless steel blades per cartridge.  You'll get 4 cartridges per month for only $9.

Each is designed to cater to diverse shaving needs. Overall, my boyfriend loves the quality of the blades. Compared to other leading brands, he gets almost just as many shaves to each cartridge. I can feel the smooth, close shave he gets after each use. It's so similar to the other expensive razors that I really can't tell the difference.

This is one subscription that your brother, friend, husband or special someone will truly appreciate.

For more information on this subscription service, visit the Dollar Shave Club website.

That's my (our) two cents for now. Have any of you tried gems tried out this or any other shave subscription service? If so, share your 411 below.

Until next time.....happy shopping!!!!!

July/August New Beauty Releases

Hey Beauty Gems -

Guess whose back!!!!   My apologies for the long disconnect. Personally, it's been a very chaotic few weeks for me.  So much so that I unfortunately had to dedicate my time solely to personal matters.  I thank you for sticking around to still follow me.  It's a tough job trying to juggle but someone has to do it.  Seriously, I love writing and talking about all things beauty.  This is something I'm passionate about and want to get more involved in.  Although I can't give 100% of my time, I do my best to give as much as possible. OK so on to the good stuff.....

Unfortunately, summer is winding down and we're vamping up for fall.  With a new season on the horizon comes new product releases.  This week, there are alot of new releases hitting the market.  Here's a glimpse of what's new on the beauty scene:

• L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints (12 new colors) -  In the spring, L.A. Girl Cosmetics released there new Glazed Lip Paints.  These lip paints were a hit.  Check out My Two Cents on the Glazed Lip Paints here My Two Cents: L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints.  The Lip Paints were such a hit that L.A. Girl Cosmetics decided to release 12 new colors for the collection.  The colors were just released for sale TODAY.  Some of the new colors include some nudes and deep berry shades.  Visit the L.A. Girl website to check out the latest shades. 

• Makeup Geek Vegas Collection -  Marlena and her team of beauty scientists have done it again. This week, MUG is launching their first ever eyeshadow palette, Vegas Lights.  The palette includes 6 (5 are new) shades.  The remaining items in the Vegas collection include 5 pigments (3 which are new).  The palette will retail for $37.99.  Pigments are $6.99 each or $33.99 for all 5 pigments.  For my beauty enthusiast, the entire collection can be purchased for $69.99.  The estimated launch date is August 20th.  However, you can sign up through the website to receive a pre-order invite.  NOTE: I'm sure this collection will sell out fast so be on the lookout.  For more information and to check out Marlena's video on the new collection, click here MUG Vegas Collection.  

• Stila 20th Anniversary Product Releases -  Can you believe Stila has been around for 20 years???? Wow, a true testament of an amazing brand.   Definitely one of my favorites.  As part of the celebration, Stila has released a few eyeshadow palettes, mascara and lip glosses. Packaging is amazing of course.  I wouldn't expect any less from Stila.  I first spotted the palettes on the Sephora website. There are 4 Eyes are in the Window palettes in all (called body, soul, spirit and mind; neutral to cool tone colors) with 12 eye shadows per palette.  There are also 6 lip glosses and 1 mascara in this collection. Just some more items I've added to my shopping list. You can purchase these items from the Stila website and Sephora.  Note: Only the 20th Anniversary palettes and mascara are available for purchase through Sephora; lip glosses available only through Stila. For more information, click here Stila 20th Anniversary. 

There are more releases to come in the upcoming weeks.  Some products I haven't mentioned that were released a few weeks back.  I've been working very hard behind the scenes.  As a result, I'll have blog posts up every day this week so stay tuned!!

Are there any new products you have just purchased that you love?  Anything new product launches your anxiously awaiting?  Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.

As always, be in the know with the latest and greatest in all things beauty by following me via Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook @AngBeauty411.  Enjoy the rest of your day and as always...happy shopping.

My Two Cents: Splendies/Volupties Monthly Subscription

Hola Beauty Gems!

It's about that time for another edition of My Two Cents.  While I've been on the monthly subscription bandwagon, I thought why not expand out.  Monthly subscriptions for clothing, food and other items are the "IT" thing now. While watching a YouTuber video, I learned about Splendies/Volupties.  Splendies/Volupties is a monthly subscription service for women's panties.  For only $17 a month, you receive 3-4 pairs of panties each month from various brands. As well, Splendies/Volupties are one in the same.  The difference between the 2 are the sizes they carry: Splendies (S- XL); Volupties (1X - 3X).


For the month of July, here are the panties included in my package:

Basically, this is a great way to introduce you to new brands and get sexy, comfy panties (delivered right to your door). I was very intrigued and had to check it out.  I received my first box about 2 weeks after I joined in June.  Your monthly charge is done between the 1st -5th of each month.  You shipment of panties is sent out approximately within 5-7 days after that. The panties are shipped in a non-disclosed plain parcel bag. Inside the package, the panties are wrapped in colorful tissue paper. The brands featured in my July shipment were:

Forgot that exact name of these however, super sexy.  These are kind of like lacy boy shorts.  They have ribbons on the front.  The type of panties you can wear anytime you want to feel sexy underneath.

Seven 'til Midnight -  A cute pair of leopard-print thongs with a purple lace band. This is probably a print I wouldn't normally purchase for myself.  However, this is one of the big perks of a monthly subscription...you try out things you normally would say no to.

Shear Shapewear - Super comfortable and stretchy full-size rose color panties.  These are ones I'd wear for a little extra "tuck" in my stomach area.   

What I love about this subscription service:

• Different brands featured in each month's shipment
• Accommodate most sizes -  Splendies for women up to size XL/ Volupties for women size 1X or larger
• Cater to your current size - If you've gone up/down a size, you can always change your pantie size just by logging into your account (just in time for the next month's shipment goes out)

Overall, I love this subscription service.  I've been happy with the selection of panties received so far.  It's only been 3 month into my subscription but so far so good.  If you're interested in learning more/subscribing to the Splendies/Volupties service, visit their website here Splendies or Volupties. 

Have any of you subscribed to this subscription service?  If so, what did you think?  Share your 411 below. Have a wonderful day and as always.....happy shopping!!1

My Two Cents - NEW L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints

Hey Beauty Gems -

Monday is here again.  I hope you all had an amazing weekend. To start off the week, let's get into another "My Two Cents" review.  Today's review is for the new L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints. These lip paints are hot off the press.  A few weeks ago, I ordered these and tested them out.  To my knowledge, they were just released a few months ago.

The lip paints are available in the following 6 colors (with swatches included below):

Hot Mess -  A muted orange but appears brighter when removing it from the tube.  I'm not a real fan of this color because it can appear streaky on the lips.  As well, it sinks into and brings greater attention to fine lines and any dry spots on the lips.

The color doesn't work well for my skin tone. I'll need to either pair this with another color or give it away to a friend.

Blushing - A featured item in a previous "What I'm Loving" post. This beautiful mauve color is out of this world. This is one of my favorites. The color is so universal (use for day/night) and just works well for me.

You can utilize this color with different eye looks (versatile enough to take center stage with neutral eye looks; a soft addition to a bold eye look).

Bombshell - When you looking to make a bold statement with your lips, this is a great option.  A gorgeous fuchsia that great for this time of year.

Pin-Up - Give em' GLAM with this gorgeous blue tone red. This red will be a great compliment to most skin tones. Go vampy by pairing Pin-Up w/deep red or wine color lip liner. You'll undoubtedly make a statement with this color.

Coy - A bright violet shade that will knock your socks off.  Think NYX Macaron Lipstick in Violet in a glossy finish. For those who want color but not too much, you can always tone this down with a dark lip liner or just a lighter application.

Coy is stunning and can easily be transitioned into the fall/winter seasons (w/ the addition of a lip liner).

Babydoll - A color I like to refer to as a "Barbie Pink".  In the same color family as Bombshell only less purple color tone. Pretty color just not for me.  As you can see from the picture below.  This color shows ever fine line, dry spot, etc.  May be a color that's suited for someone with less pigmented lips.  That may make a difference in how transparent wrinkles, etc. are.

What's Great About These....

• Color pigmentation - Lip stains are known for their rich color.  So most of these are no exception. However, the only mediocre one of out bunch I think doesn't fair well is Hot Mess 
• Texture - Talk about smoothness...Wow.  They remind you of a saturated, non-sticky lip gloss (full of color and glides on to your lips). 
• Long Lasting  - After drinking and eating, the lip stains will leave you with a nice amount of color. So much so that it may take you a minute to remember to reapply

Things that are "Ehh" About These...

• Applying too much product can turn into a real mess....you really must use these sparingly.  It's really easily to apply more and result in alot of build up. I highly recommend that these be applied with a lip brush.  
• Formula might take come getting use to for some.....if you've tried the OCC Lip Tars these are very reminiscent of them.  The same peppermint scent and product texture will be very familiar. Although this product is glossy and not matte...be sure to moisturize those lippies prior to applying.  I personally have an issue with my lips drying out very easily.  While I didn't have an issue with most of the colors, I did find that keeping my lips moisturized help with that "peeling/dryness" peppermint infused products can sometimes give to some people

Overall, I recommend trying these ASAP.  For the price, they are very affordable and a great product.  A tiny drop of product will give you medium to full coverage. You can purchase the L.A. Girl Lip Stains from the L.A. Girl website, ikatehouse and other local stores where L.A.Girl products are sold.

Have any of you gems tried out these lip stains? Tell me your 411.  Were they a hit for you?  Any standout colors that you loved or hated??

Take care my beautiful gems and as always....happy shopping!!!

What I'm Loving...Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eye Shadow in Bella Violet

Hey Beauty Gems -

It's THURSDAY!!!  Your girl AngBeauty 411 here to share the 411 on all things beauty. I'm going to make this post short and sweet (currently working on a more in-depth review of this product).  Today I am falling in love with the new Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eye Shadows.  Milani recently released this line of new eye shadows.  There are 30 total shadows to choose from and four different finishes (iridescent metallic, satin matte, and shimmer).

For the summer season, I've been in love with my purples. There's no surprise that Bella Violet was one of the first colors I was instantly attracted to. Bella Violet is outstanding.  It's great pigmentation and easy application makes it an A+ .  So far, I've worn these colors for 12+ hours on very humid days.  I can safely say these colors did not budge.

For only $3.99, the color selection is out of this world.  Beauties on a budget can purchase as many colors as their heart desires.  You can purchase these online at Milani , in CVS, Target and other drugstores where Milani products are sold.

Stay in the know by following me via Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook @AngBeauty411.  Enjoy the rest of your day and as always...happy shopping!!!

What I'm Loving....L.A. Girl Lip Glaze in & IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Poreless HD Micro Powder

Hey Beauty Gems!!

Happy Thursday!  Another week is quickly coming to an end.  Time for your weekly installment of "What I'm Loving".  Due to the holiday last week, I wasn't able to post a "What I'm Loving" for July 3rd.  Today I figured I would do a 2 for 2 to make up for that.  I'll start off with my new love that's been my go to color...the L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paint in Blushing.

 

I've been rocking this color for about a week straight now.  It's a beautiful mauve that you can wear day/night.  Why I love it so....

• Buildable color -  for a more intense look, just add as much product as you like. 
• Glossy finish (without being too over the top)
• Color stain -  Even after eating or drinking, you're still let with a pretty good color stain on the lips
• Great color pigmentation - the littlest amount of product will give you that "wow" color payoff

If I apply the lip paint with a lip brush, I really don't have to use a lip pencil.  The color seems to stay in place. I do know that this will not be the case with some of the more intense colors. This is certainly a color I will keep in constant rotation throughout the summer and fall. A detailed review on the L.A. Girl Lip Paints will be posted soon.

Next the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores Poreless Finish HD Micro Powder (the product name was changed to Bye Bye Pores Silk HD Anti-Aging Micro-Powder) has been my saving grace. This powder is one of those products I clearly underestimated.

Summer for me equals 'Problem Child Pores".  It's mission critical that I pay close attention to keeping my pores at bay.  If not, they will truly get out of hand.  The Bye Bye Pores Poreless HD Micro Powder to the rescue.  You can use the powder all over the face or just in troublesome areas.  I use this powder specifically in my t-zone and the sides of my nose. Why I love it....

• Minimizes pores
• Contains additional added nutrients for your skin
• Concentrated (a little is all you need)
• Consistency ( finely mill powder form)
• Packaging makes it easy to travel with

That will wrap up this week's post.  Feel free to share your favorites of the week by commenting below.  As always, you can follow me for the latest and greatest in all things beauty via Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @AngBeauty411.  Enjoy the rest of your day and as always....happy shopping!! 

Monthly Must Haves - June

Hey Beauty Gems -

It's me, AngBeauty411, here with another monthly wrap up of my "can't do without em'" products of the month. Time is flying....just when the weather is getting good! I just don't understand. I'm trying to hold on to summer with every ounce of my being. Just a tad late on getting this posted.  I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!!

Urban Decay Naked Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation - Lately I've been going back and forth with foundations.  It's been a struggle trying to find the "one" for summer. UD Naked Foundation has been my fav for the month of June.  If you want a foundation that's not heavy, gives you light to medium coverage and has a natural look...this is a perfect pick.  Although I'm more of a full coverage girl, summer heat quickly dictates that less is more. UD Naked foundation is a great for everyday wear and for days your going to battle warm temperatures.  It stands true with giving you great coverage and lasting power throughout the day.

NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Purple Rain & Orange - With all the bright colors I've been rocking this summer, lip pencils are a must have.  Nothing curbs lip color running amuck than some lip liner.  Organizing my lip products, I started using my NYX pencils I brought this spring.

The colors immediately jumped out at me. They're vibrant, long lasting and blend well with many lip colors. Did I mention that they're also relatively inexpensive as well????

Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in Shaghai Sizzle - Just can't enough of orange this summer.  My new love is Revlon's Shaghai sizzle. It's moisturizing, non-drying, great color and leaves a beautiful color stain.  I love it, one of my go to lip colors for summer so far.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear Nail Color in Pacific Blue -  I was watching a Friday Favorites and Flops video by You Tube's own MsLolaLynn and she was talking about SH polish in Pacific Blue (2 nails have the Sephora Formula X Top Coat in Chaotic).  I brought this a while back and it was just sitting on my shelf for months. This inspired me to pull it out. I've been rockin it every since.

This color looks great with indoor lighting and has amazing brightness outdoors.  I literally just fell in love with this all over again. Perfect for all skin tones.  The picture makes the polish look alot darker than it actually is.  NOTE:  Sally Hansen has changed the color of this polish; the new shade is a metallic dark blue. If you find this in stores, be sure to grab the ORIGINAL color and not the new one.  Sally Hansen....please go back to the original formula(color)...the new one is not even close to the original.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Nourishing Styling Treatment -  For my course, dry hair, this treatment is amazing. A versatile product that can be used  to soften, moisturize and tame unruly hair.  I primarily use this on my damp hair after washing and before using my hair tools to style. This treatment is infused with Argan and Sunflower oils to smooth and protect hair from dryness and frizz. I purchased this protect during Ulta's Love My Hair Event.  From first use, it blew me away with the captivating smell and softness it gave my hair.  I love it so much that I want to try out the shampoo and conditioner from this product line.

Bath and Body Works Semi Annual Sale - You've seen my recent hauls and know I'm head over heels for this sale.  Some of the best times of year to shop till you drop. Unfortunately, the sale has ended....whaaaaaa!!!  Look on the bright side, you can begin preparing yourself for the next semi-annual sale (end of the year).  If you want to cash in on some last minute deals, do it ASAP cause time is running out!!!

That concludes my list of monthly must haves for June.  Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend and as always....happy shopping!!!

ikatehouse Haul

Hello Beauty Gems!!

It's another start to a new work week. Fortunately, this is a holiday week so many of you have short weeks or are on vacation. Either way, be sure to get out to enjoy the beautiful weather and holiday festivities. Just wanted to quickly share a mini haul from ikatehouse.  My package just arrived today and I'm so so excited. Specifically, I was able to get my hands on a new product that's getting alot of buzz.  So let's dig into it.

I probably should have called this the "L.A. Girl Haul". Most of the items purchased are from this brand. What I was dying to get my hands on were the L.A. Girl Glazed Lip Paints. I've seen a few reviews on this product and heard great things so far.  I'll be sure to test these out over the holiday weekend. I purchased the full set of all shades (6 total) for $15.99. Individually, each lip paint is $2.99 each.

While checking my collection, I noticed that I didn't have alot of bright colored lip pencils.  I decided to pick up the S.he Waterproof Eye & Lip Pencils.  I purchased the lip pencils in purple, orange, violet, rose and purple glitter. Each pencil retails for $1.00 each.

I was running low on my L.A. Girl HD Pro Concealer in Fawn and picked up a new one.  This is my every day go-to undereye concealer (which I love).  These concealers are only $1.99 each.

I was also running low on drugstore foundations.  This time, I wanted to try something new. Since I love the concealer so much, I decided to give the L.A. Girl Perfecting Liquid Foundation a try.  I wasn't sure about the color so I purchased 2 (Mahogany and Cocoa). Another new product I can test this weekend. The foundation are $4.99 each.

To wrap up my mini haul, I also purchased the L.A. Girl Ultimate Pressed Powder.  Again, unsure how the colors would look I purchased 2 (Espresso and  Warn Bronze). When I opened the compact, the colors look a little too light for my skin tone.  However, I'll incorporate them in with my liquid foundation (to set) and see how it works out. Each compact is only $4.99.

I'll be sure to get a full review of products up as soon as I can.  If you've tried any of these products, let me know your thoughts.  Share your comments below.  Enjoy the rest of your day beauties.  Until next time....happy shopping!!!

It's GlossyBox Time!!! - May/June Edition

Hey Beauty Gems!!

I'm way overdue with this post.. Soo I jumped on the bandwagon and subscribed to GlossyBox. Since I temporarily cancelled my Birchbox subscription, I wanted to try something new. When I checked out the website, I saw that Bergdorf Goodman was being featured in one the monthly boxes.  My fingers were crossed that it would be my first box....it so it was...ahhhhhhh!

So first and foremost here's what the box looked like when I received it.....I love the beautiful lavender color. Overall, the box and packaging has a very clean and classic look.  For me, the smallest touches make for the best packaging. So let's get into it shall we.......

First I opened the Bergdorf Goodman $25 gift card.  All of the subscription boxes for this month only included a $25 gift card for Bergdorf Goodman.  Things are starting off great!!! Next I immediately focused on the Revive Insensite Voluminizing Eye Serum. The description of this product says...."This advanced formula helps visibly plump, rebuild volume and re-contour the delicate eye area. Significantly diminishes the look of dark circles and under-eye bags, making eyes look younger, brighter and illuminated." Wow, that was a mouthful.

I must say, I'm always a little skeptical of products that "claim" to do so many things.  However, with high-end products, the expectation to do just that is there. And might I add for the full size (a 2.5 oz. container), this product retails for a whopping $350.00!!! Yes, all those zeros was not a typing error.  I'm glad to have the opportunity to try a high-end product.  However, I can say without doubt that I will not be purchasing the full-size (even if I won the lottery or some cash sweepstakes winnings).

The next product I noticed was the Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer.  

The claim is..."Scientifically formulated to allow your makeup to "automatically" glide over the skin. Auto Pilot helps to prime and soothe the complexion for that flawless finish and helps makeup last even longer. The box contained 7 individual packets of primer.  The regular retail price is $45 for 1.7 oz.  Again, something I would only considering purchasing full-size if amazing results were seen and received.

Also included was the Lancer Lift Serum Intense Stem Cell Recovery Complex.  

The serum claims to "Utilize pure gold and stem cell recovery complex, as exclusive plant cell compound that delivers firming and lifting effects to the skin." Regular retail prices if $275.00/ .85 oz. bottle.

One product I am very excited to try is the Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara. 

This mascara claims to volumize, lenghten, separates and conditions lashes. Hourglass has been in the spotlight over the last year for their incredible luminizing blushes and face powders. I've been trying out alot of mascaras and interested to see how this stands out.

Nothing completes a monthly subscription box without hair care products.  

Alterna Cavier CC Cream claims to deliver the following benefits (moisturize, shine, smoothness, softness, UV protection, manageability, strength, anti-breakage, heat protection, and light hold). That's alot to hold up to. I can say that if this product stands true to this claim, I will be interested in purchasing it (regular retail price $25/2.5 oz size).

We'll round out this box with the Atelier Rose Anonyme Cologne Absolue.  

I'm not a fan of this fragrance however, others may like it.  The description of this scent is "notes of spicy ginger, enwrapped in sultry veil of velvet oud, Indonesian patchouli, mystic papyrus and Somalian incense." The full size of this cologne is 3.4 oz for $140.00.

So far I'm really liking the Revive Eye Serum and NP Skin Primer.  The verdict is still out on the other products.  Overall I'm very impressed with my first glossy box.   I skipped the current month to try a few other subscription boxes.  I'm anxiously awaiting my July box.

If you're interested in learning more about GlossyBox, visit their website at www.glossybox.com .

I'll keep you gems posted if there's any spectacular products in this box.  Until next time, take care and happy shopping!!!