$10 Subscription Unboxing: Ipsy v. Sephora Play

Of all the mail that gets shoved into your mailbox, nothing compares to your subscription service finally getting in! Push past the bills, the junkmail, the wedding invites, and get right to the goods! Today we unbox two $10 beauty subscription services: Ipsy and Play! by Sephora. 

Ipsy

Ipsy is subscription service created by Michelle Phan, the woman who played a major role in how beauty marketing works today. For $10 a month, subscribers of Ipsy receive 4-5 deluxe size sample products that range from lip balms to body scrubs and everywhere in between. The products featured are from brands you'd find at your local drugstore, higher end products, and even indie lines. The products are all packaged in a cute unique pouch that coordinates with a theme of the month. While you cannot explicitly customize what will be featured in your bag, Ipsy does take into account your preferences from information obtained through a quiz taken when you initially subscribe to their service. 

This Gudetama themed bag included 2 skincare type items. The Tarte Rain Forest of the Sea Deep Dive Cleansing Gel and the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet. I appreciate that the skincare was so well balanced. Having a cleanser and moisturizer featured in the same bag shows that the curator really thought of the beauty process in terms of skincare. 

The remaining beauty products featured can give any Ipsy subscriber what they may need to be ready and out the door. Concealer, liner, highlight (brush). In the bag there was a Concealer Crayon from TreStique and a Wonderwand Gel-khol Eyeliner by Ciate London. The Illuminator brush is by Beau Gachis Cosmetics which is a full size brush and valued at $9.95. 

Play! by Sephora

Each Play! by Sephora subscriber receives 5 sample products and a fragrance sample.

This box included care items that serve as protective and restorative treatments from all the fun things of summer. Diving in the pool is fun. What it does to your hair and skin is not. There was a hair mask from Madam C.J. Walker. The Beauty Culture Dream Come True Wonderful Pre-Wash Protein Treatment is great to restore life to your hair throughout the summer. TTThe Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox Bouncy Hydrating Gel can be helpful for after-sun care. Finally, the Ren Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream which smells like heaven!

The fragranced featured was Mon by Guerlain. It has a warm smell that is perfect for the "Glamp" theme. The Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm is an easy throw-it-on lip product. The It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara makes your lashes very fluttery. However, I thought it was kind of an out of place item. It just really didn't make sense in this bag. I read up on the product on Sephora's product web page. It describes the mascara "like skin care for your lashes."

Who do you think had a better bag? Ipsy or Play! by Sephora?

All photos are property of meetpepperb.com

Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil

Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil

Written by: Danyelle V

Ya’ll, she was talking about this eyeliner. The Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil is a beauty lover’s must have. Think of everything an eye pencil does wrong. Crumbles and skips across your skin so you can’t ever create the lines you want. Sets too fast so you can’t blend it evenly. Doesn’t set at all so it melts and settles into the corners of your eyes. So attractive by the way. Raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by an eyeliner. You were out all day and come home to find your lower lash line went from smokey and sexy to ‘oh, she hasn’t slept in days.’ Now imagine an eyeliner that does all the right things. If you haven’t found one that works for you, I gotchuhoney. The Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil by Chanel will never disrespect you. I have watery eyes and this pencil lasted in my waterline all day. Water. Line! It’s not even marketed as waterproof!

Down side: It’s $30. Thirty dollars for an eye pencil! While it is longer than your average eye pencil- $30? Idk, man. Is that something you would buy? It is a luxury product so if you’ve been good to yourself, treat yourself. The price v. the quality is something you’re going to have to battle for yourself. 

If you are on a budget and still need an eyeliner that won’t do you wrong, Colourpop has gel eyeliners that work just as well but with a significantly smaller price tag. They last in the waterline too! No fading, no running, no betrayal. They have metallic shades too! I know I always refer to Colourpop as an alternative but you can’t deny their quality. 

The Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil is available in 6 shades. Which one is going to be your holiday gift to yourself?

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Available at Nordstrom; $30

Product Photo from Nordstrom.com

Photo taken with iPhone 7

Tarteistclay paint liner & brush

Smokey eye with Tarteist liner as base for smokey eye layer with Pandora matte black eyeshadow. 

Better view of my makeup to the right Tedrick Lamar | Makeup artist who created my makeup look.  

Okay, I am really weird about gel liner not because I don't like them but because I honestly hate wasting my money. I can't began to emphasis enough the amount of black eyeliners I own that are now dried out.

I've heard different feedback in regards to this eyeliner and honestly the feedback I heard wasn't so great.   "The consistency is too fluid" or even "it's too black". I say the beauty of makeup is different things work for different people and that's what I look for in a gel liner. This is encouraged me to go out and formulate my own opinion. 

So I will mention this again the consistency reminds you of liquid initially and a little product goes a very long way. Deciding what you want to use it for prior ( which I call a makeup game plan) is best because it does dry a little quick when using what you need. However if you are over using the product you will find very long dry times. 

During my day time look I used it as a very dramatic cat eye that can be seen through my eyeglasses. Transforming from day to night having someone do my smoky eye for the first ever in life. I came with suggestions 

:( I suggested using this a base for my smoky eye and this was perfect because of the richness in texture. This liner is extremely black. Ideal for smokey eye base I'm a little obsessed to add a hidden gem to my smokey eye routine.