Mini Mani Review: Rainbow Honey "Petit Four"

Another day off, another polish job... this time, it's Rainbow Honey's "Petit Four" from the May Mystery Bag. Of the three polishes included in the bag, this was the only one I was sure I'd love. I really like the look of these "milky" polishes, how the layers of glitter create depth in them, and I love happy yellow shades, so I was pre-sold on this creamy yellow color with pink, red, and teal matte glitter bits.

It's like candy on my nails... only, y'know, not edible.

I apologize for the photo... I found this polish extremely hard to photograph! Bright indoor light, outdoor sunlight, I tried it all... most attempts at photographing it washed the yellow out and made it look pretty flat. This shot, indirect light from a window, is the closest approximation I could get. If I'm going to stick with this, I guess I'll have to come up with a light box or some sort of better set-up for these shots. (Maybe once I know I've got enough readers to make the expense and effort worthwhile... hint hint, clue clue, please drop me a comment if you stop by so I know I'm not just typing to myself!)

My one complaint about this polish is that I found it clumpy and hard to work with. In all fairness, I am pretty new to the realm of indie glitters like this, so I don't know how much of this is due to my noob status. I've heard that there can be a bit of a learning curve in terms of working with these types of polishes, so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, and I could see myself buying it in the future if Rainbow Honey does end up adding it to their line-up. Anyway... the yellow was kind of sheer, and took three coats to build to opacity; I think next time I might try it with a yellow base so it doesn't have to be built up quite so thickly. A healthy helping of Seche Vite top coat, and it was good to go. Despite the application woes, I'm enjoying this one... can't stop admiring my nails!

Wunkle Wednesday: Cerveza en la Playa

My previous post about a nail polish that reminded me of the Turks and Caicos got me to daydreaming about my past Caribbean vacations, so I figured that was a good jumping-off point for today's Wunkle Wednesday post. This particular photo is from the Money Bar, a lovely little beach club in Cozumel. Wunkle enjoyed our afternoon there, but was very disappointed to find that they didn't serve Corona, which he was wanting in order to create his own version of that company's beachy ads.

After his initial dismay, he decided to settle for some Dos Equis instead... and frankly, I think the green bottle is much prettier than a Corona bottle would have been! Hey, Dos Equis, Munky Wunkle wants you to know that he's available when you decide to get rid of that old dude spokesman.

"The Most Interesting Munky in the World."

Munky Wunkle says, "Stuffed monkeys don't always drink beer, but when they do, they prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty, my friends!"

Mini Mani Review: Rainbow Honey "Waves"

So in my previous review of Rainbow Honey's May Mini Mystery Bag, I seem to recall stating that I probably wouldn't use the included polish called "Waves," because I don't like blue polishes. Well, words = eaten. Last night I decided to try it out before sending it off to the trade bin, and I actually like it quite a bit.

Two coats, topped with Seche Vite, outdoors, cloudy.

As I said in that aforementioned review, the only thing that made me think I might not hate this polish was the greenish cast that reminded me of swimming in the shallow seas around the Turks and Caicos. On my nails, two coats turn into a turquoise shimmer that does, indeed, look like the prettiest waters the Caribbean has to offer.

Which reminds me... is it time for another cruise yet?

I did find the formula a little gloopy, but not terribly hard to work with, and it went on opaque in two coats, without leaving the streaks that so often bug me in polishes of this type. I'm definitely enjoying the shiny little vacation on my fingertips! If I had longer nails, I might even try my hand at a little beach-style nail art with this.

Side note: this is my first time sharing my stubby, pitiful little nails with you, dear reader. Please have mercy on them, they do try so hard to be pretty! I also can't figure out how other bloggers hold their bottles so gracefully for photos, with all their nails perfectly lined up on display, and without their fingers looking like little bent-up sausages. I'm working on it, I promise!

Review: June 2014 Charleston Epicurean Box

Ah, Charleston. My best friend moved to the Holy City a few years back, and every time I visit her, it gets a little harder to come back to the Bluegrass. I've been known to spend entire days just wandering South of Broad, taking pictures of window boxes overflowing with flowers and the city's traditional wrought-iron gates... kayaking on Shem Creek... watching the amazing artistry of the sweetgrass weavers at the City Market... breathing in the scent of the Confederate jasmine in my bestie's backyard... burying my toes in the sand at Breach Inlet... and dear baby Jesus, the food!

Munky Wunkle really enjoys exploring Charleston's military history. Fort Moultrie, I think? Or maybe the Battery...

I've recently discovered the world of subscription boxes, so when I stumbled across the brand-new Charleston Epicurean box, I knew I had to check it out. Charleston Epicurean promises "the best of local Charleston food and artisanal style," which rings all my bells as a lover of the Lowcountry, culinary goodness, and unique little finds. I signed up for a three-month subscription, and my first box has arrived (lightning-fast shipping, I might add). Let's dig in, y'all!

First up: the stamp on the box itself. I love a couple of things about this... first, the wrought-iron gate design, which I didn't notice features a fork until I was writing this review! Clever design indeed. I also like the little extra personalized touch a stamp lends, as opposed to a pre-printed box or label. Inside the lid of the box was an attractive insert with a little blurb about each item, an inclusion that I appreciate.

 And now, on to the contents...

• The New Primal Spicy Grass-Fed Beef Jerky (2 oz., $7.59): I'm a selective jerky eater; I've disliked more kinds than I've liked, but I've been known to find certain types that float my boat. I tend to enjoy teriyaki-flavored jerky, so I was excited to see that this jerky is flavored with tamari and ginger, and sweetened with honey and pineapple juice. It's made from grass-fed beef... here I must admit that my carnivore palate is not refined enough to distinguish between cows, but for those who can tell the difference, there ya go. I also prefer a moist jerky as opposed to the über-tough, overly dry variety, and this jerky has a touch of tenderness that I appreciate. The New Primal is not joking when they call this jerky spicy... and that's the downside of it for me. I like a good tingle of heat, but this is "get me a glass of milk RIGHT FREAKIN' NOW" spicy for me, and I didn't even make it through an entire strip before my tongue was protesting. Those with mightier strength against food-fire may enjoy this, but I have to take a pass. So, would I buy? Not the spicy kind, but I do find myself curious about The New Primal's Trail Packs that blend jerky, nuts, and dried fruit.

• Mike's Famous Original Deep Fried Peanuts (8 oz., $4.00) I have to admit to feeling an instant twinge of disappointment when I spotted these peanuts in the box, because I immediately thought of boiled peanuts, which, in my opinion, are one of the South's greatest culinary failings. Thankfully, these fried specimens are infinitely more palatable than their slimy boiled counterparts. The deep-frying process makes the shells easily chewable with a pleasant bit of crunch, which also makes these peanuts much less messy to eat since they don't have to be shelled (always a bonus). I received the "Salted" variety, but the salting was very light, and I could have done with a bit more seasoning. (Mike's also offers a variety of other flavors, including Old Bay and Cinnamon Sugar, which sound more interesting than plain old salted.) So, would I buy? Hmm... I suppose I might try some of Mike's other flavored peanuts if I stumbled across them, but I wouldn't go out of my way. There are other salty snacks that I just like better than peanuts, and there's nothing mind-blowingly different about them when they're fried, except that the shell becomes more easily edible.

• Charleston Favorites Charleston Red Rice (8 oz., $4.95): This dish is a Lowcountry classic that can be prepared as a side dish, or bulked up with some sausage or seafood to make a meal of it. The mix is very simple: rice, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried onion... I'm a little skeptical, because bacon doesn't come into play either in the mix or in the additional ingredients called for in the recipe on the bag (except as a garnish), and pork fat is a pretty traditional component of this dish. Not to go all Emeril on you or anything, but pork fat rules! I'll probably wind up sneaking some into this when I prepare it. Side note: I'm generally terrible at cooking rice, because I always manage to burn the bottom of it, so here's hoping I can break the streak this time! I think this will also provide an opportune moment to finally bust out the Charleston Rice Spoon I received as a gift when I became a supporter of Charleston's Drayton Hall. (If you haven't been to Drayton Hall, it's worth a visit as an interesting counterpoint to the other area plantations.) Also, how stinkin' cute is that teeny-tiny Tabasco bottle tied on with a bow? So, would I buy? Jury's out on this one for the time being.

• Olde Colony Bakery Benne Wafers (5 oz., $3.99): I'm a bit ashamed to admit that in all the times I've been to Charleston, I'd never gotten around to trying a benne wafer. Benne wafers are a mainstay of Charleston cuisine rooted in East Africa; "benne," or sesame, was first brought to America in the days of the slave trade (a sad but fascinating part of Charleston's history). Despite their origin, eating benne wafers is actually supposed to bring GOOD luck, so maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket, because I can't stop nibbling on these crispy little nuggets of deliciousness! These toothsome wafers hit a beautiful balance of salty and sweet, with a delicate nutty flavor from the sesame seeds, a touch of caramel depth, and a really satisfying crunch... the closest flavor comparison I can come up with is some serious bomb-diggity peanut brittle, but that doesn't really do them any justice. So, would I buy? In a heartbeat, and I'm also super-curious about some of the other confections available on the website... Pecan Peachies? Leila's Lemon Snaps? Razzberry Sassies? Yep, this will probably warrant a visit to the Olde Colony Bakery next time I'm in town.

• Blackjack Barbecue Dry Rub (5 oz., $4.95): Okay, please don't revoke my Southern citizenship, but I am really just not a fan of 99% of the barbecue genre. (Disclaimer: before you run me out of town on a rail, please know that of the barbecue dishes I have liked in the past, darn near all of them were of the Carolina vinegary mustard-based variety.) Anyway, given my general barbecue-related disdain, as soon as I laid eyes on this spice blend, I was planning on passing it on to my dad. First, though, I cracked it open to take a perfunctory sniff for reviewing purposes... and then I had to take a little taste... and now I think I'll need to keep it and try it on some chicken soon! While the ingredient list doesn't really contain anything unexpected in a barbecue blend (chili powder, paprika, cayenne, etc.), the garlic flavor is more potent than in a lot of other blends, so since garlic is like crack to me, I'm kind of digging it. Also, I don't detect any cumin, which is a flavor note I just don't like, so that's a check mark in the "pro" column. So, would I buy? Jury's out... I mean, I kind of doubt it, since I've got other garlicky seasonings that I love, but I have been surprised before!

• Artistic Aperture Charleston Letters Photo (~$5.00?): First, please do your best to ignore the big white oval that's censoring my last name... not that I think you're going to become an obsessed blog fan and stalk me down, but still. Anyway, I'm no stranger to this whole "architectural letters" thing; I'd actually seen them before in several Charleston-area shops, although I don't think those were by this particular individual. (I've also seen them here in my hometown of Louisville, which means that they lose some of their Charlestonian uniqueness in my eyes.) I do think that the idea is clever enough, but the execution here leaves a bit to be desired. In her "About Me" section, the photographer describes herself as an amateur, and it does show; some letters are represented MUCH more effectively than others. Anyway, the item included here is a 4x6" glossy print that spells out "HOME" and is personalized with my last name. It's not to my taste, but my mother liked it and immediately snatched it up for herself. Given my druthers, I'd much rather have had a single-letter print of my initial, which would suit my more graphic tastes. Oh, and for the record, I'm estimating the value of this item based on the website's stated price of $4.00 for a 4x6" print, plus a dollar for the extra smidgen of time it took to type in my last name. So, would I buy? No... it's just not my jam.

Overall, this first Charleston Epicurean experience was a mixed bag (mixed box?) for me. The value of the box rings in at $31.48, give or take a bit for my estimate on the photo print. I signed up for a three-month subscription for $99 (shipping included), which works out to $33 a month (a single month is $35), so from a dollar-for-dollar standpoint, did I get my money's worth? Not quite. But as with most subscription boxes, part of the value is in the experience. I may not have been thrilled with everything in the box, but I'll pass my unloved items on to someone who will enjoy them... and regardless, I definitely got a taste of the Lowcountry that I love! This may sound silly, but I think part of the reason I'm not in love with this box is that to me, it somehow seemed to skew "masculine." In fact, if I hadn't opened almost everything to try, this box would have made a pretty solid Father's Day gift next week! The May box (which I sadly missed out on) seemed much more "me" with the inclusion of more confections and little toiletries, and I hope to see some more bits and bobs like those in my upcoming boxes.

If you're interested in checking out Charleston Epicurean for yourself, the subscription page can be found here. While I realize that my review of this particular box wasn't exactly glowing, I do want you to know that I'm not at all disappointed in my choice to subscribe, and I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing what surprises my next two boxes have to offer as Charleston Epicurean continues to grow!

Wunkle Wednesday: Gone Golfing

So for a hot minute, a few years back, I dated a guy who was an avid golfer, and therefore I felt the need to try to learn the art of golfing. I stuck with it for a while, and I actually wasn't half-bad... but Munky Wunkle was better. Here he is, trying to line up the perfect putt.

Look at that laser focus!

That guy, who actually thought Wunkle's photos were hilarious and invited him along on our very first date (where this photo was taken), made wood carvings as a hobby. He later whittled Wunkle his own munky-sized golf club. True story.

The First Wunkle Wednesday!

So since he's on the banner and in the blog title and all, I figure it's probably time to introduce you to Munky Wunkle. Wunkle is, as you may have deduced, a stuffed monkey. I'm not really positive how he came to be in my possession; he just turned up in the back of my SUV one day many moons ago. I think he must have fallen out of a load of stuff I hauled to Goodwill for someone, and gotten tucked up under the seat or something. In any case, he languished in there for a long time... and then one day, my boyfriend (at the time) and I were on vacation. We'd vacationed in the same place four or five times at that point, and every time we took the same pictures of us in the same places, and I was bored. So when we went to visit a nearby lighthouse, I grabbed the monkey out of the backseat and took his picture instead. And thus, the legend of Munky Wunkle was born.

Munky Wunkle at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light. He really likes lighthouses.

It's not a very good photo... I hadn't yet mastered the fine art of stuffed monkey photography, so you can see my thumb holding him. I've come a long way since this photo, and now this little guy has become my version of Travelocity's "Roaming Gnome," stowing away in my travel tote bag and posing for all kinds of photos. He's even been places that I've never gone, because he's taken a couple of trips with my wackier friends. Can you believe this little shit has been to Paris, and I haven't? Le sigh. In any case, dear reader, you'll be able to enjoy Wunkle's travels every Wednesday, when I'll be sharing some of his greatest hits, and I'll also bring you new adventures whenever I get a chance to take a trip!

May 2014 Ipsy Bag Review: "Fresh Picks"

Another month, another Ipsy bag in my mailbox. But wait! This month, there were actually two bags in my mailbox. That's right... since Ipsy bags contain 4-5 items out of a larger array of possible products (26 items total for May), and since I have tended not to receive the items I wanted the most in past months, I decided to sign up for a second bag in hopes of receiving a wider variety of the available items. A little over-the-top? Perhaps. But better for you, dear reader? Again, perhaps... but not so much for this month, because I ended up getting multiple duplicate items. Le sigh.

Bag #1, in which I blow your mind with my amazing powers of camouflage.

So since I recently discovered the joy of using my stash of craft papers as backdrops for my photos, I was happy to dig this print up. But then I discovered its fatal flaw... it goes so well with May's "Fresh Picks" vine-printed bag that the bag is practically invisible! It amuses me, though, to make you play a wee bit of "Find the Bag." It's there, I promise. (Side note: I just noticed that this also flows nicely with my blog's background. Mind = blown.)

Okay, fine. Here's the bag.

The bag itself, as per usual, earned mixed reactions from me; I like the print, minus the standard "ipsy" logo incorporated into it, but was disappointed that the print is only on one side. The bag is made from a nubby burlap sort of fabric, which is a refreshing change... but I could see it getting stained up very easily.

Bag #2's contents, duplicates and all.

 Before I delve into reviewing the products, I'd like to take a moment to raise a little hell about Ipsy's shipping. It's included in the $10 price, which yay, but they ship via DHL, which I have discovered is the CRAPPIEST SHIPPING SERVICE EVER. It is so appallingly slow that I almost wish they didn't send tracking numbers, because it's excruciating to watch my packages travel to Georgia only to languish there for days, then get stuck in Hebron, Kentucky, for another ridiculously excessive amount of time before finally being transferred to the USPS and reaching me in Louisville. And then this month! Two Ipsy bags, both shipped at the same time, traveled together all the way to Hebron, but then were transferred to the USPS three days apart! To be fair, in this case, it was actually kind of nice to get my little treats on two different days instead of all at once, but still. How does that make any sense? I wish Ipsy would switch to a more reliable shipping service.

Anyway, let's get on to the important stuff, shall we? I'll admit that I wasn't looking particularly forward to either of my bags, and in fact was having a little buyer's remorse about signing up for that second bag, because I didn't find any of the available options terribly exciting. As with January's Ipsy bag, this month's selections were very skincare-heavy, which isn't nearly as fun as getting pretty colored things. The only item I really wanted from Ipsy's sneak peeks was a Too Faced bronzer, and clearly that's not in either of the above photos. Boo. Hiss. And then when I saw I'd be receiving duplicates of three items, the bloom was definitely off the rose. As usual, though, at least one item pulled through to make my subscription worthwhile!

In both bags, I found:

• Jersey Shore Sun Sans Tan Anti-Aging Sunscreen with SPF 35 (deluxe sample, valued at $10.00): So sunscreen is always a good thing in my book, because I am a grown-up who does grown-up things like putting on high SPF (usually) and not using SPF 2 oil (anymore). I wasn't particularly enthused about getting these small sample sizes, because I am of the "slather it on and re-apply often" school of thought, so this tiny tube would probably not last a day with me. I also found the price off-putting, because I am not opposed to buying the industrial-sized vat of No-Ad, and I consider buying Hawaiian Tropic for the smell to be a "splurge" in the realm of sunscreen. So, unless Jersey Shore Sun's SPF is SPF-ier than any other SPF, I see no reason to spend that much money on something people won't even be able to see on me. Except... THEY CAN SEE IT ON ME. The bottle says "Pure White Mineral Sunscreen" as though that's a good thing, but it left an unappealing pallor on my skin (see ghost wrist below), which I'm pretty sure was not the goal. I was able to dissipate the white sheen with a crap-ton of rubbing, but frankly, that makes me worry that it has to be spread too thinly in order to disappear on me. No thanks. I'll pass these along to one of my fair-skinned friends, and go back to soaking in the No-Ad.

 

•  Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in "Duo 1" (valued at $4.45): These duos appear to be exclusive to Ipsy, since Pacifica's eyeshadows are currently all in quad form, so I calculated the value based on shadow weight. Two color options were available, and I was really hoping to get one of each, so of course I got two of the same one. Oh well, off to my little sale/trade box with one of them! I wasn't expecting much from these shadows, because the colors looked pretty bland in photos, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much better they are in person. The golden shade, "Celestial," is a nice "my eyelids but shimmery" color that will come in handy for neutral but pretty work makeup, and the other shade, "Opal," looks like a blah pale beige in the pan but applies with a pretty pink sheen... opalescent, if you will, so I guess it's not just a clever name. Opal is a little powdery, but not too bad. The main issue I had with this product is the cheapness of the compact; upon opening it, the lid popped right off when I pushed it just a little further back than vertical. It didn't break, so I was able to snap it right back on, but still. A little dinky, Pacifica, especially when I'm used to your products having impeccably beautiful packaging. I doubt I'll buy these in the future, only because I already have plenty of eyeshadows and some higher-quality neutrals in the same vein, but I wouldn't throw them out of bed either. I will, however, most likely use the Pacifica promo code to buy more completely unneeded smelly-goods, at which Pacifica absolutely excels.

 

•   Hey Honey Take It Off! Exfoliating Peel-Off Mask (deluxe sample, valued at $7.00): This may sound ageist or something, but I'm generally not a fan of peel-off masks, because they just seem juvenile to me... something I used as a pre-teen because they were fun to try to peel off in big pieces, not something I'd choose to use as an adult. That's probably silly of me, but it's just how I roll. Also, this is another sample that I think is too small. I'm not trying to whine, but in terms of skincare products, I feel like a sample should be large enough for multiple uses in order to see how it performs on one's skin over time. I'll be lucky to get two full uses out of one tube. This sample is so small that there wasn't even room on the back to print instructions... instead, it directs users to the Hey Honey website. Funny. Anyway, this mask is a chemical exfoliant featuring alpha hydroxy acid... and upon reviewing said instructions, I have to say I found it odd that users are supposed to put moisturizer on *before* applying the mask. Call me crazy, but it seems to me that treatments like this would work better on a clean face, so I found myself worried that the AHA was going to burn like a mofo. Anyway, it's a thick, clear gel that goes on without much of a noticeable scent at all. Slathered it on... waited... and peeled. Amazingly, unlike the peel-off masks of my youth, this one came off in more or less one giant piece, leaving only a few little scraps that had to be cleaned up. (And some of that was user error... stupid eyebrows getting in the way.) Followed up with some moisturizer, and my skin did feel tightened and a little refreshed, although no visible difference. Since I've got two tubes, that should equal four to maybe five uses, but I doubt I'll re-buy after that unless my skin suddenly starts absolutely glowing, because I'm generally happy with the physical exfoliants I currently use.

"Don't call me honey, honey!"  -Pierce Hawthorne

 Okay, enough with the duplicate items! Hopefully next month, I'll get a better variety of products. When signing up for Ipsy, you fill out a quiz about your beauty habits and preferences, so I've gone back and tried to make sure that there's no overlap between my quiz answers for the two subscriptions. Fingers crossed... but if my bags are dupe-y again, I'll be canceling the second one. Now, let's move on to the items that were unique to each bag.

• Pur-lisse Pur-Moist Hydra-Balance Moisturizer (deluxe sample, valued at $16.18): While 20-something me would have scoffed at the high price of this moisturizer, then maybe slapped some random body lotion on my face if it felt particularly itchy, 30-something me has become completely okay with the concept of spending exorbitant amounts of money on skincare. I'm very accustomed to people guessing that I'm somewhere in my 20s and being shocked when I reveal my age, and I want to keep it that way as long as possible. I'm not going to pop the seal on this sample yet, because I JUST cracked open some expensive-ass creams from Skyn Iceland that I bought myself as one of my rewards for quitting smoking, so I'm going to keep this little guy to try the next time I'm traveling.

I hate the lower-case affectation. Capitals are your friend!

• Avene Thermal Spring Water (deluxe sample, valued at $9.00): My first reaction to this: "WATER IN A CAN? You have GOT to be shitting me." I know I used this reference in a past Ipsy review, but to me, this product is really like "The Emperor's New Clothes," in that I picture an Avene executive saying, "But if we put FRENCH on the label and call it something fancy like THERMAL, nobody will notice that we just put WATER IN A CAN!" And then all the Avene test subjects start spraying themselves, trying not to choke as they accidentally inhale water vapor, and oohing and aahing over the restorative magic of Frenchie spring eau thermale. Although I'll certainly never buy this, it will get used... I am saving this bottle for the next particularly hot day that I have to spend outside for some reason. I'm sure it will be refreshing when I'm roasty-toasty at the beach or an outdoor concert or something. I mean, it's water. (In a can.)

Water. In a can.

• Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask (travel size, valued at $12.00... or less): Beware, faint praise and a bust ahead! I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this product, quality-wise, but nothing particularly good either. It conditioned my hair about the same as my usual conditioner, so I certainly wouldn't say that it's restorative enough to be called something snazzy like a "hair mask." It smells okay, nothing mind-blowing, but not unpleasant. I would certainly never pay the $40 price on Eva NYC's website... which, amusingly enough, appears to be a mark-up by Eva NYC to compensate for the 65% off promo code offered to Ipsy subscribers. For comparison, here is the same product regularly priced at $14.99 at Ulta, and $15.99 at Walgreens. So basically, I can buy the full-sized product at one of those locations for almost the same price that Eva NYC has listed for this travel-sized bottle. Ridiculous.

 

• Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub (deluxe sample, valued at $16.25): I saved the best for last... I almost decided not to keep this, since I have zero problem with whipping up my own sugar scrubs, but then I sniffed it and found myself in love with the scent. It's a beautiful bright lemony aroma, no artificial Pledge lemon smell here! So I figured I'd keep it and see if there was really anything to the whole "micro" part of "microdermabrasion." As it turns out, I may have been missing out all that time I was making my own scrubs! The exfoliating grains in this scrub are super-fine and don't feel nearly as abrasive as my sugar, but my face still feels just as smooth afterward. My only nitpick? The label on the jar is wrinkled in a couple of places, as you can see below. If I'm going to spend $30 on a product, I think it should at least look like it was packaged with care, and since this sample is actually half the amount of product put into a full-sized jar, the wonky label bothers me. Still, this is something that I might actually purchase once I run out... which won't be too awfully soon, because the sample size is pretty generous, and a little goes a long way.

Label wrinkles = OCD tweaked.

Overall, I was not terribly happy with this month's Ipsy offerings. The return on my $20 investment was good from a price-only standpoint; Bag #1 rang in at $51.70, and Bag #2 at $46.63, for a total of $98.33. However, the value plummets if we look at the Ulta/Walgreens vs. inflated Eva NYC price for the hair mask. And then let's break that down to the value of the products I'll actually use.... and at least two of those are products I would absolutely not buy again (the Avene and the Eva NYC), and I probably won't wind up buying the Hey Honey or the Pur-lisse (unless either one surprises me and blows my mind, I'll keep using scrubs and will remain Skyn Iceland's bitch). So the actual value for me is pretty low this month, but I'm still happy enough with a couple of the items that I'm not left shaking my fist angrily and cursing Ipsy's name. I'm already looking forward to June; since this month was so skincare-heavy, I'm hoping for a return to lots of fun makeup next month!

If my less-than-glowing review has somehow left you chomping at the bit to try Ipsy for yourself, please feel free to clicky-clicky here to sign up using my referral link. (As always, a disclaimer: I get points if you use my link, which I can redeem for products, but I would not share my link if I did not find Ipsy entirely worthwhile.)