Final Thoughts: January ipsy Bag and January Birchbox

I am finally getting back into the swings of things. There are some posts I definitely need to get caught up on.

The theme of the January ipsy Bag was Super Stars. My bag consisted of:

1. Soho Crease Brush
2. Sexy Hair Hairspray – deluxe sample
3. Josie Maran Argan Oil – deluxe sample
4. Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter – deluxe sample
5. Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Latte – full size

With the exception of the hair spray, I used everything in the January ipsy bag. I really liked the Soho Crease Brush. The handle had an ergonomic design. This brush was also very effective as a blending brush. The Josie Maran Argan Oil worked wonders on my hair. I was skeptical about the Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter. My skin is drier during the Winter months. The body butter did a good job of moisturizing my skin. The Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Latte is a shade that looks good on everyone. What stood out for me the most from the January ipsy Bag was the crease brush and the argan oil. The Soho Crease Brush was very versatile. I used this brush as a crease, blending, and fluffy shadow brush. The Josie Maran Argan Oil was great. A little goes a long way. My hair is normally drier in the Winter. I could use this oil everyday and not worry about oily buildup.

The theme of the January Birchbox was the Best Year Ever. My box consisted of :

1.  Amika Color pHerfection Shampoo – deluxe sample
2. Harvey Prince Skinny Chic – sample
3. My™ Multi-Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer – deluxe sample
4. theBalm Cosmetics Hot Mama – deluxe sample
5. Deborah Lippman the Stripper to go – one mitt

I have definitely seen an improvement with the January Birchbox. I wasn’t sure if I was going to renew my beauty subscription. I really liked the amika Color pHerfection Shampoo.  My hair is dark brown so I couldn’t tell if it prevented my color from fading. The shampoo smelled wonderful and was really gentle on my hair. I liked the Skinny Chic Fragrance. The scent wasn’t overpowering, something I could actually wear everyday. The Multi-Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer really worked. I was impressed with how well the moisturizer controlled the oily shine on my t-zone. The Hot Mama powder worked great as a highlighter on my darker complexion. The last item from the January Birchbox was Stripper to go nail polish remover. One mitt was enough to remove the nail polish from both hands.  There were two items that stood out for me The My™ Multipurpose Mattifying Moisturizer controlled the oily shine without drying out my skin. That was a concern since my skin in normally drier in the Winter months. The item was theBalm® Cosmetics Hot Mama Blush and Highlighter. I used this mostly as a highlighter on my cheekbones and browbone. The color wasn’t ashy on me.