Vanishing Cabinet from Notoriously Morbid April 2021

Trying to get back into reviewing my makeup…uh, stuff. Anyone who knows me understands that since the loss of our dog, Dozer, I haven’t been up to doing much of anything. But I’ve recently gotten back on the movie reviewing bandwagon, and that’s made me want to get back to enjoying my makeup purchases. So, here we are.

For anyone who doesn’t know, Notoriously Morbid is an indie makeup brand that has a monthly subscription (several, actually) called Vanishing Cabinet. For $15 every month, you get 4-5 makeup products (eyeshadow, lipstick, perfume, etc.). Each month is also themed - could be a movie, a game, a mythology, WHATEVER. It’s pretty fun actually. And they’re cruelty free! Check the brand out here: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

I didn’t review March and, honestly, already put everything away so I can’t remember what the products were. So for April, let’s just dive into “GAME OVER”, a Resident Evil themed bag.

RESIDENT EVIL, PEOPLE!!!!!

I was going to cancel this subscription after April because I signed up for another brand’s service. But Resident Evil is the game that got me into gaming in the first place, and survival horror specifically. So I kinda wanna keep Vanishing Cabinet for a little while longer…

Great, A Chainsaw: A dark grey Mystic Matte with silver sparkles. This liquid lipstick is one of my favorite formulas. Very comfortable, and wears pretty well.

Complete. Global. Saturation: Blue based highlighter with blue and purple sparkles. You can’t really see the glitter in this because it’s very fine (which I prefer). It’s a gorgeous lavender shade on the skin. I’ve come to determine that loose highlighters are some of the best. Yeah, they’re messier than their pressed powder cousins but dayum, they’re worth it.

The Umbrella Corp logo makes for a perfect lid on these pots, no?

Abandon Hope: A pale silvered blue eye shadow with green sparkles. GORGEOUS.

Welcome to Raccoon City: A deep matte red eye shadow. I love that they picked this name for this brick red shadow.

B.O.W.s: A bruise yellow eye shadow with blue-purple-orange shifting shimmers. It’s hard to tell but this matte yellow does shift to a shiny purple-pinkish color.

I have to admit, I don’t understand the color story here. Not a big fan of primary colors together. But separately, I think they’ll be great. I’m actually dying to try that yellow shade. I have a couple yellows in my collection, but they’re a little difficult to work with. And now to have one that kinda shifts depending on the angle/light, um, yes please!

That’s it for this month. I can’t figure out the hint for May’s theme. It sounds sort of familiar, but I just can’t put my finger on it. What do you think it’ll be?

Vanishing Cabinet from Notoriously Morbid January 2021

I’m a smidge late in posting this one. January kinda got away from me.

For those who don’t know, Vanishing Cabinet is a monthly themed makeup subscription service from Notoriously Morbid. For $15, you will get 4-5 makeup items (mostly mini or travel sized). This is an Indie makeup company, and all their products are cruelty free. Check them out for yourself here: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The theme for January is based on one of the Legend of Zelda games. I know nothing of this particular game/franchise except that most everyone who doesn’t play it, thinks that green-capped elf is actually Zelda. (spoiler: it’s not)

Theme for January

Twilight Princess

First up, we have a face and body glitter gel, in the shade World of Shadows. Personally, I don’t like wearing this stuff on my body, and I don’t want it on my face, which is where my eyeballs live. But if this is your jam, have at it. It’s got some awesome colors going on.

The two eyeshadows I got this month are:

Twilight Realm: a teal loose shadow with a gold sheen and gold/green shifting sparkles. The sparkles fall out everywhere, but I can’t stay mad at that color.

Mirror of Twilight: a semi-loose, metallic, antique silver with blue/purple shifting sparkles. Gorgeous.

There’s also a loose highlighter, and liquid lipstick (sorry, I didn’t get a picture of the actual tube of lipstick, but it’s the same packaging they always use).

Benevolence to Banish Evil: a pearly orange highlight with rainbow sparkles. It’s hard to see all that on the face, particularly the sparkles, because it just looks smooth and shiny to me.

Light & Shadow Can’t Mix: a pale pink-leaning-lavender shade with a slight gold/peach/red shift and copper sparkles. I do love these kinds of lavender shades.

That’s it for January. Everything is gorgeous as usual, and I’m excited to keep playing around with these (except the body glitter). The hint for next month made me almost bust a gut laughing - if I guessed it correctly. What do you think?

Anyone have a guess?

Vanishing Cabinet from Notoriously Morbid November 2020

For those who may not know, Vanishing Cabinet is a monthly makeup subscription service from the indie brand, Notoriously Morbid. Each month, you get 4-5 products (usually mini), based on that month’s theme, for $15. For more info, check out their website here: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID VC Also note that NM is a cruelty free brand!

(I pay for this with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

All righty. The theme for the November VC is Harry Potter. Please just know I’m a muggle and that’s the only reference I know from the franchise (I’ve neither read nor seen the movies - and please don’t tell me I have to because that’s the surest way to keep me from doing it).

I love that they’re including price/cost information now!

We’ve got three shadows and one of their Mystic Matte lipsticks (if you don’t like liquid lipstick, you really should try this formula).

Floo Powder Power: Gorgeous mauve/murky rose color in the matte formula.

Supermegafoxyawesomehot: Semi-loose multichrome with a rosewood base; shifts from turquoise to green to blue to purple. You just cannot capture these kind of shifty shades in swatches or sometimes even in video (especially if you have no technical deftness to bring out their beauty). Just trust me - this is a beautiful shade.

Totally Awesome: Another semi-loose multichrome but with a black base that shifts from teal to gold to green to blue. *sigh* Check out my Instagram for a couple pictures with this shade (@Pmonkey710).

I tried to get the shade swatches in two different levels of light, but it’s still hard to see just how pretty they are.

A Mystic Matte in the shade “Ugh, Now Two People Are Mad at Me”. Beautiful warm purple with sparkles that shift from green to blue to violet. I love this color so much. I really enjoy purple lipstick shades (second only to red) so this is a lovely addition!

That’s it for this month’s goodies. Apparently December will have their first anime theme! *pleasebeattackontitan* *pleasebeattackontitan* *pleasebeattackontitan*

Vanishing Cabinet from Notoriously Morbid August 2020

I don’t know if it’s quarantine, or I just missed having a makeup subscription service, but here we are. I’ve signed up for a monthly makeup subscription from Notoriously Morbid (remember the lipstick one I did with them for the dragon themed year? No? Well, click HERE to read one).

I’ve been very drawn to indie brands of makeup, and since I’ve tried eye shadows and lip products from NM (and liked them), I thought I’d sign up for their Vanishing Cabinet service. For $15 each month, you get 4-5 themed items (some mini, some full size) ranging from lip products, blusher, solid perfumes, etc. all with that month’s pop culture theme. Check out NW’s site for more info. Keep in mind they have a really long waiting list for this service, but will contact you once a spot opens (assuming you sign up to wait, that is). NOTORIOUSLY MORBID VANISHING CABINET NM is also vegan and cruelty free!

I purchase this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones.

So, let’s take a look at August 2020 - X FILES!

Lots of super pretty stuff this month! Highlighter, blush, two eye shadows, and a liquid lipstick.

I Want to Believe: Light green highlighter. You can see the gold in that swatch and that’s mostly what you see when it’s applied to the cheekbones. But…if you look straight on at my face, you can see a slight green wash of color. Not super happy about that, but it’s not that noticeable, so I can live with it! And loose highlighters are great to get an intense shine!

They Call Me Spooky: Deep pink blush. I can’t be sure, but I think there’s a little shimmer or shine in the blush. It’s not over the top, if it exists at all. BUT IT IT SUPER PIGMENTED! Tread carefully…since it’s loose, get a little on your brush and tap that on your hand before putting it on your face. Trust me…

Trust No One: Matte teal eye shadow. Gorgeous. The swatch doesn’t look great, but I think I had a spot of lotion that was still a little damp on my arm right where I swatched it.

The Smoking Man: Multichrome shadow, pewter base that shifts from rose, to green, to gold. The rose is a little hard to see but the shadow is no less stunning for it. I also love the little eye shadow pots look like UFOs.

Sure. Fine. Whatever: One of the NM’s Mystic Matte liquid lipsticks in a beautiful chocolate brown. I am not a brown lipstick girl, but dayum. This formula is very comfortable and doesn’t dry down completely. It’s also very thin at first application so it WILL bleed into any lines around your mouth. But if you stay on top of it with a Q-tip, or use a lip liner, it’ll be fine.

I love the names of everything in this collection. I think the lipstick and The Smoking Man eye shadow are my favorite. I’m excited to keep using them.

Also, the hint for September’s theme….HELLZ YEAH (though, I don’t remember anyone saying ‘as if’ before that famous line, but it has been a while since I saw the movie).

Storybook Cosmetics

About a year ago, Storybook Cosmetics popped up on my IG feed (I don’t remember if it was an ad or someone I follow talking about them). And they have this monthly makeup subscription called the Book Club, and the eye shadow palettes look like little books! How cool is that? Naturally, I signed on. I wanted to get at least three of them to test the products properly.

Look at that gorgeous logo!

However, what was originally going to be a monthly service, turned to every other month. Then not exactly sure. Now we don’t know when. After a year, I finally got the third palette, and I think I’m done.

Don’t get me wrong - I’m not blaming or shaming anyone here. This business is run by three women (triplets, actually!) so anytime life throws a monkey wrench into the works, the schedule is messed up. I get it - family illness/death, manufacturing problems, supplier issues, global pandemic - that shit is not fun. But I know my ass is impatient, and I don’t want to hang around and wait, hoping no more issues raise their ugly heads.

That said…I really have enjoyed these shadows and lipsticks. The books come with three eye shadows, one lip product, and a bookmark. The last two books also came with eye shadow brushes that are ADORBS. The packaging is not for those who want sleek displays, or to save storage space. These are thicc, even if they are small. Just look at the pictures below to understand what I’m talking about.

Despite my reservations, I do not begrudge anyone who wants to check them out, and maybe sign on for the subscription. You can buy their products individually, too. Check them out here: STORYBOOK COSMETICS

(they’re also cruelty free, so bonus points to them for that!)

So let’s go over each palette I received and talk about them, shall we?

First up was Little Women!

Each book has beautiful detailing, a mirror, a quote from the book, and the bookmark contains the product ingredients. You can see what I mean by the book’s bulk, even though the book is small, so it takes up some room.

The shadows are named after three of the sisters in LW, and Jo gets the honor of the liquid lipstick. The shadows do kick up some powder so be careful when applying. The lipstick formula is wonderful. It never feels super dry when it sets, and it even has a bit of tackiness to it (particularly on the inner rim of the lips). It WILL come off on stuff so be warned. My applicator had a funny little extra bit at the end, but I just cut it off and all was well. I dig the shape of the doe foot itself, though.

I wanted to create at least three looks with each palette. I have to say this color story was the least inspirational to me, but I ended up really digging the simple look of the soft pale green all over the lid.

Next book is The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

Dig that eye shadow brush, people, with working magnifier! Not that I use it for that, but it’s pretty cool.

This palette scream falls to me. Probably because of the Harvest Orange and Forest Green colors. The lipstick is a more neutral nude color on me, maybe leaning a little yellow once it sets down. But again, the formula is very comfortable. For the eye shadows, I think Watson and Moriarty were my faves, and they worked so well together.

And last, but not least, we have Jane Eyre.

I think I was most excited about this because the pink and rose color story was just calling my name! Not that I’m a pink person at all, but for some reason, these got me excited enough to keep my subscription until it arrived. They are a nice mix of cool and warm tones, too. The brush feels a lot cheaper than the Sherlock one, but that could be because the Sherlock one has actual thick glass in it!

Instead of a liquid lipstick this time, we got a gloss. Decently pigmented, thick, not sticky at all, and super comfortable. Probably my favorite lip product of all three.

I loved all the shades in this palette and can see myself using this more than the others. Well, except for maybe Watson and Moriarty. Oooh, we could have a palette party!

Like I said, I loved the idea of this. As a writer, how could I not? The shadow formulas are nice, little powdery, but they perform well. The lip products are pretty and comfortable. All in all, these are good products. I just don’t have the patience to keep my subscription, not knowing if it’ll stay on schedule or be more “well, we’ll ship it when we can”. I did put a link to the company above, though, so please check them out and see for yourselves what they’ve got going on!

Daebak Box - Spring 2020

Well, considering how things are going right now, receiving my Spring Daebak box was just the pick up I needed! (though by the time I’m posting this, we’re a week out from the ‘end’ of quarantine…but I imagine restrictions will still apply for a while)

For those who don’t know, the Daebak box is a seasonal subscription service for all things Korea - pop culture, snacks, beauty, lifestyle, etc. - all delivered to your door once a quarter. You can buy one season at a time (at $54.99) or pre-pay for a whole year ($199.96). Check out the service here: DAEBAK (these are the same people that do the Snack Fever service I buy, and they just started a jewelry service, too).

I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones.

The Spring box is chock full of goodies, some of which are not described or even mentioned in the Daebak magazine that comes each quarter. So we’ll have to figure this out together.

MISCELLANEOUS - OR BONUS, WHO KNOWS?

I had no idea who this was until I read a few posts at the Daebak Facebook page. Apparently, subscribers got random posters of a member from the K-pop group, Seventeen. I’ve heard of them; I think I’ve seen a video or two on the K-Ville YouTube channel (shut up). But I don’t know which one this is…let’s see if I can figure it out.

Okay! Looks like I got Boo Sungkwan (nick name Boo). He is one of the 13 members of Seventeen (it’s a convoluted explanation on how they got the name, so I won’t go into it here - just know it’s a lot of math). Hopefully using my feet to hold down the poster doesn’t offend anyone (and if it does, just suck it up and don’t be such a whiny bitch) because I had nothing close by to keep it from rolling up. He’s adorbs, and if I were a big fan of the group, I’d be ecstatic about this. Buuuut…I’m not, so not sure what I’ll do with it. It’s nice, thick poster paper, though. *crafting mind takes over*

MAKEUP

These are all sample sizes, so maybe that’s why they aren’t in the magazine? Could be random additions - that happens sometimes!

The MakeHeal Foundaiser (from the MakeHeal website: foundaiser gives you “Natural coverage as if you received a laser therapy.”) This is really nice. It does emphasize my pores a bit but I didn’t use a pore filling primer when I tested it. So we’ll see if I can get it to look a little better. But even so, I did the rest of my makeup and my skin looked FUCKING AWESOME. Satin finish, healthy glow, not a heavy looking foundation at all. And the shade works really well. This is supposed to negate the need for concealer, last 24 hours, and has a cool applicator in the bottle, not the sample (SIDE NOTE: the model on the sample packet is actually an actress that’s starring in a K-Drama I’m watching right now, The Arthdal Chronicles - and it’s awesome). And one sample packet is enough for three applications (for me) so HOORAY! (EDIT: It does start to look heavier as the day progresses, and kind of dry. But if I just needed something quick for a few hours, this would be great.)

The Labiotte Win Lip Tint: This is cool. I like these kind of watery lip products that stain the skin. It actually feels more like a watered down gel, very smooth and soft, or maybe that’s the applicator. The freshly applied product looks orange, but the stain is more pink. Either way, the colors are beautiful. The freshly applied swatch, and wiped off after a few seconds, are below on the left side of my hand. Then you can see the lip swatches of freshly applied early afternoon, and how it looked at the end of the night. This stuff wears incredibly well, even after eating. Well, it IS a stain, after all. That’s how they work.

The MakeHeal Airjet Velvet Lipstick: The samples are almost too small to get a lip brush in them, but I got it to work (when they didn’t pop out of the packaging). Beautiful, soft colors, and the lipstick feels, literally, like velvet on the lips. Very comfortable. I swatched them on my hand (below) and my lips, but I was removing them with kleenex and I had white fuzzies all over my chin in EVERY PICTURE so…I skipped posting those.

SKIN AND TEETH

Beauty of Joseon: The first picture shows three skin care products from Beauty of Joseon, and the pretty pink satchel they came in. I haven’t tried the peeling gel (I’ve already got one in the rotation from ELF). I used the mask last night, and it was GLORIOUS. One of those jelly serum masks, which are my favorite. The material of the mask is a little too flimsy to put in this pouch without some kind of structural, removable backing, but I still loved it. I also tried some of the cleansing balm, and hallelujah it didn’t fuck up my eyes!

The Peelosoft Bubble Eraser Pads: I opened these up the other day to wash after wearing a full face of makeup. They are cleansing cloths that fit over your first 2-3 fingers, like a little pocket. They come dry, you wet them under the faucet, then lather up. I took off my makeup with an oil cleanser first then used one of these. VERY NICE. Would be excellent for travel (which none of us are doing right now, but hopefully soon…). And the tea tree part is not overwhelming.

VTxBTS Think Your Teeth: First, that’s a giant ass toothbrush. I’ve seen MAKEUP brushes that big, dude. But the bristles are very soft, which is good for my sensitive teeth. I haven’t tried it or the toothpaste (see previous mention of sensitivity, plus I need to research the ingredient list on the paste). I love when K-pop bands do collabs in Korea because their images are all over the packaging. And yes, I got a pack of trading cards with their images on one side, names on the other. If I were a 13 year old girl, I’d be squeeing with delight right now. Okay, to be honest, I squeed a little…but come on, look how adorable they all are!

UM…LIFESTYLE?

Jeju Fabric Perfume: It’s just what you think - when your clothes get too stinky from that bbq restaurant, or someone near you is smoking, you spray this on your clothes to get rid of the stank. And it smells like fresh grapefruit. I’d wear this as regular perfume! I haven’t tested it on smelly clothes yet, so I’ll let you know.

Kakao Bath Headband: Super soft, and fits much better than the cat ear headband I got years ago from Meme Box. Don’t believe me? Just look at the above picture!

LED Lights (those might be Kakao, too). OMG so fucking cute! They make a nice decoration on my “to read bookshelf”. Don’t judge me…

SNACKS

HaiTai Homerun Balls: Um…anyway…these were very …tasty…gaaahhhh….. Okay. Mind out of gutter. These were delicious. The outer shell is like a profiterole - light and airy. The chocolate center is perfection. Highly recommend these balls.

In your mouth. *I’ll show myself out*

SM Town Artist Jelly: The Red Velvet jellies aren’t named that for the flavor, but rather for the K-pop group, Red Velvet. I’ve heard of them, but currently don’t have any of their songs on my iPod. The jellies themselves taste like strawberry and peach. Very yummy! And those cute little bird stickers came in the bag (sorry the picture is so blurry).

Whew! All righty, that’s it. So far I’m loving EVERYTHING in this box, including the BTS cards (SHUT UP). This really was a bright spot during a stressful time, and I’m so glad I subscribe to it. I think I have the Summer box left in my pre-paid subscription. I have a sneaking suspicion I will renew for 2020-2021.

Do any of you get this box? What do you think? Leave me a comment!

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly (FINAL REVIEW) December 2018

We have arrived at the final review in my Mystic Monthly subscription service from Notoriously Morbid. For those who don’t know, NM is an indie makeup company that has two monthly subscription services. I signed up for the $10/month liquid lipstick subscription in 2018 (NOTE: the price has increased to $12 for 2019.) Though it’s been fun, I need to move on to something else. But if you’d like to check them out, go to their website: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID

(I paid for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The Mystic Monthly theme for 2018 was Dragons - which is basically why I signed up in the first place. December brought us Fuzanglong, an underground dragon that protects buried treasure. The Cursed Crystals eye/lip topper is called Hidden Treasures - makes sense.

First, the lip/eye topper. I got another Cursed Crystals in the Advent calendar, but it definitely has a different color shift. For this one, the purple and rose are easier to see than the green. I haven’t tried it on my eyes yet, so I’ll let you know how it goes when I do.

The lipstick is beautiful. I tried to take pics to show the differences between fresh, dried down, pressed together, and with the topper. Not sure it’s translating all that well in the photographs but the topper was kind of fun to put over this. The lipstick is a little streaky so it would be better to layer it a time or two.

The next pics are, in order: freshly applied; after it set; after I pressed my lips together to get the blue sparkles to show up; and with the lip topper applied over my lipstick. Again, it’s a little hard to distinguish the subtle differences, but they are there!

You get an idea of the patchiness, too, so I want to wear this again, but layer it and then see how long it lasts.

The Mystic Matte formula of liquid lipstick is pretty good. It’s not super drying, the colors they come up with are somewhat unique, and they are fun to play with. It’s been fun having this subscription, and it did give me a better look into the Notoriously Morbid brand as a whole. I’ve been able to try a bunch of different products, and there are still a few more I’d like to investigate. Don’t forget to check out their site link above if you want more information!

PDs, MEHs, and GFYs 2018 Year End

Again…gah. I haven’t done one of these for MONTHS, but I hope to get back into a regular schedule for 2019. For those who are new, instead of doing the generic “Likes and Dislikes” or “Fails and Favorites,” I call my list of crap I liked and hated as “Panty Droppers, Mehs, and Go Fuck Yourselves.”

Enjoy.

PDs

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Foundation: I don’t usually spend my money on high-end makeup. Tarte is the exception. I prefer light coverage foundations, if I wear them at all, and this is perfection. It lasts all day on me and looks as good at the end of the day, as it did after first application. I had to get a new bottle, though, because my previous one expired before I could use it up. Right now I have Fair-Light Neutral, but I probably could switch to Fair Beige (they came out with a few new shades since I first bought it.)

Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara: I got this as a sample in one of my Ulta orders this year. And I didn’t want to like it because Stila is one of those high-end brands. But DAMMIT! This stuff makes my lashes look long, thick (rowr) and gorgeous.

A’Pieu Finger Blusher: This came in a 3B subscription bag (aaaaaages ago.) I can’t believe how long it lasted. The smell just started to go off, so I had to toss it. But if I can find this again, I would repurchase. Perfect cream blush - blends out beautifully, and the peach shade I had was very natural. One of the best blushers I’ve ever used. I don’t think they make it anymore, but YesStyle has a ton of A’Pieu products, so maybe one of the blushes in there will work as well…?

Lunatik Cosmetic Labs Lipstick in Lacrimosa: This has been one of my favorite shades of lipstick in a long time. The description from their website: Lacrimosa is a translucent shade with a pink hue packed with a kaleidoscope of color shifting sparkles. I got it back in 2014, I think, at a convention. Unfortunately, the bullet completely dried up and it’s now impossible to get any pigment out of it. Which makes me incredibly sad. So I guess I’ll have to go get another one!

I forgot to include these babies in the PDs pic above, so they’ll get special treatment. I know a lot of people don’t like the metallic lip look, because it makes the lips appear older/aged. Personally, I don’t care. I love how shiny the Metal Shock is (shade: Mercury,) and the Vibrant Shock (shade: Nightstalker) is just a gorgeous shock of color. Obvi.

The Vibrant Shock seems a teeny streaky at first, but you can definitely work with it to look just fine on the lips. These do dry down, but don’t become transfer proof. They’re just a titch sticky, but not the “sweet baby Jesus it’s gonna be 10 minutes before my lips separate!” kind of sticky.

MEHs

Wet n Wild Tour & Tease Lip Balm: It’s a nice soft wash of color, but sooooo drying. This might be one of those multi-use products (lips and cheeks) and, if so, that explains the dryness. Never has any dual product felt nice on either part of the face. Blech.

The Ordinary Serum Foundation: I love the thin consistency and light coverage; the shade is pretty good, too. But it makes my skin look like a 4000-year old papyrus notebook found in some Egyptian angsty teenager’s sarcophagus. Ugh.

BH Cosmetics Naturally Flawless Foundation: Really good coverage and a nice shade. But, again, makes my skin look super dry, and my pores appear the size of Iowa. Ah….no thanks.

Catrice Glam and Doll False Lashes Waterproof Mascara: I wanted to try the waterproof version of this because the regular version makes my lashes so long, the product transfers all over the damn place. This isn’t quite that good, PLUS it’s nearly impossible to remove. Hence, the reason I rarely wear waterproof makeup.

Essence Lash Princess Sculpted Volume Mascara: I love the original one (pink details) but this was just okay. The real problem is that it’s thick and gloopy, and never really dries out enough to be more controllable. Too bad.

GFYs

Notoriously Morbid Jinxed Jewels Liquid Eyeshadow in Tempting Devils: I got this little guy in the NM Halloween Advent Calendar. This shit is terrible. They say it can be worn on its own, layered, or over an eye shadow. I tried both, and it looked like hammered shit both times. Completely creased and crumbled off my eye after a few hours. I tried it more than once, just in case I layered it too heavily or not enough. Nope. Fucking awful product. (This is not for individual sale on the site.)

Notoriously Morbid Cosmic Gloss in Brooding Vampires: I’m specifically talking about the Brooding Vampires shade, which I also got in the Advent Calendar (I only took the pic of it with the Smoke & Fire shade to compare they came in the same full size container, but sure as FUCK don’t contain the same amount of product. The sticker may say 2 mls, but you can clearly see the base of the twist up tube is much higher on BV than on S&F. I only twisted the BV tube enough to get the product out - I haven’t worn this shade at all.) Brooding Vampires just came out of the tube as slightly tinted gloop. It never mixed with the base oils so I really don’t know what color this is supposed to be. Weak, and a little shifty on the packaging, NM. (For some reason, there are no links to get their Cosmic Gloss on the site - not sure what’s up with that because the Smoke & Fire shade is phenomenal.)

Tarte Aqua Concealer: Imagine my surprise when the concealer, in the same line as the foundation I love, makes my under eyes look dryer than a dust covered shelf in a long abandoned castle from the 18th century. Fuck you, Aqua concealer, you lying bitch.

Colourpop No Filter Concealer: See above, sans the corresponding foundation comment. (Full disclosure: I could have sworn they had regular and matte concealer, but all that’s listed on the site is matte - so that would explain the dryness.)

RK Extend Illusion Mascara: At first, I kind of liked this. But the more I wore it, the more I realized it was a tubing mascara, and those little fuckers shed INTO MY EYE BALLS. Fuck that noise. (I can’t find any place that sells this now so…there you go.)

NYX Matte Lip Cream (Moscow): I normally love these, but this particular color is patchy, hard to work with, and gets crumbly as it dries. Which explains why it’s not even for sale on the NYX website. At least they recognize when something sucks.

NYX Strictly Vinyl Liquid Eye Liners: So disappointed in this. I used the red shade once, and it was pretty cool. A few months later, went to use it again, and it was completely dried out. I bought a new bottle, the brown shade this time, and it was almost all dried up when I used it for the first time. Da fuck, NYX?

Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Precision Concealer: You know what this shit covers? Abso-fucking-lutely NADA. I appreciate the applicator design. I need to put concealer in a small, specific spot under my eyes or it becomes a shit show real fast. However, this all just blended away, but it left enough product behind to make my under eyes look like the Sahara. Fuck off, Catrice, you hit-but-mostly-miss beeyotch.

That’s it for 2018! See you on the other side, Ray.

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly September Review

For those who may not know, Notoriously Morbid is an Indie brand makeup company that has a monthly lipstick subscription service. For $10, you get an exclusive Mystic Matte liquid lipstick, and one other full-sized lip product. They are also cruelty free! Check them out here: NOTORIOUSLYMORBID

(I purchase this with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The theme for the 2018 Mystic Monthly is Dragon. This month we get Bisterne, a dragon killed by a knight. After the dragon dies, and its corpse becomes a hill known as Boltons Bench, the knight mourns his actions. After visiting the hill for 30 days and nights, the knight dies on top of the hill and becomes a Yew tree - that can still be seen today!

First let’s look at the Sinister Sprite Lip Shimmer in the shade, The Bench and the Yew Tree. It has a deep berry base with red and orange shimmer. It’s a nice middle ground between sheer and opaque. Beautiful color, though it’s hard to see the shimmer, except in person. Feels great on the lips!

The star of the show, of course, is Bisterne. It’s described as “a true dragon green with a slight olive tone, and blue to purple shifting sparkles.” The sparkle comes out after the lipstick has set and you press your lips together. It looks like silver to me. I have absolutely NOTHING like this in my collection. And I love it.

The first lip swatch is right after application. The second is after it’s dried and I pressed my lips together to see the sparkles. Again, it’s hard to see in pictures. However, I prefer the lipstick color without the sparkles.

These liquid lipsticks feel very comfortable and last well, too. Naturally, if you eat or drink, they will wear off - usually from the middle first - but otherwise hold on pretty well.

I have been loving these liquid lipsticks, but not sure if I want to keep getting the subscription. I feel like I’m becoming overwhelmed with lipsticks and then don’t want to buy any others to try out. More than likely I’ll finish up the Dragon theme, then move on to something else. But don’t let me influence you from getting this yourself. It’s a great subscription, particularly for those who may not have as many lipsticks as I do!

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly August Review

For those who may not know, Notoriously Morbid is an indie make-up company. They have a lot of products, but this monthly review is for their subscription service, Mystic Monthly. For $10 a month, you get a signature liquid lipstick, the Mystic Matte, and one other full-sized lip product. Also included is a code for a discount, but that's for subscribers only! They are vegan and cruelty free. Check them out here: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

Usually a piece of gum or candy is included, but I already ate it....

The Mystic Monthly theme for 2018 is Dragons! And August brings us Ladon, a serpent-like dragon that guarded the golden apples on the tree in the garden of Hesperides. Hence, the lip color is a light taupe with a pink undertone and a coppery sheen.

The first two swatches, on the lips, are right after application and after setting. Once the lipstick sets, you mush your lips together to bring out the shiny undertone, but it's really hard to see in the pictures. Just trust me that it looks super pretty.

These are very comfortable formulas. They don't really need lip liners, unless you don't have a steady hand to apply the product cleanly over your natural lip color (which, most times, I don't). Though, because the lipstick is very watery, it can bleed a bit at first. But with this color, it doesn't seem too noticeable. 

The swatches on the hand are the same: first is freshly applied, second is after it set. I smudged it a little on the right to try and bring out the pink/copper colors but, again, it's hard to tell. You can really see the copper in the tube, though (pay no attention to the white marks - those are just scratches on the bottle, not the product separating.)

If you remember my first month's review, I got a smaller plastic tub that was supposed to contain the slumber salve. I don't know if they reformulated it or what, but this stuff is 10x better than what I originally got (not counting this tub is actually filled and not half-assed like the first.) The original seemed more petroleum based and was not as thick as this new one. You can see the stiff peak I got here (I...uh...carry on.)

I think I say this each month, but THIS color is my favorite so far. I've worn it half a dozen times already. It's a great color to just swipe on and go. Even if I fuck up the line along my lips, you can hardly tell. Great go-to, every day color. I'll let you know how the salve does as an overnight product!

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly July 2018

For those who don't know, Notoriously Morbid is an indie make-up brand and they have a monthly subscription service. For $10, you get one of their Mystic Matte liquid lipsticks and one other full-size lip product. They are also Cruelty Free and subscribers get a coupon code every month for future shopping! Check them out here: NOTORIOUSLY MORBID.

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The 2018 theme for the subscription is The Dragons Tail so this month we have a color inspired by the Japanese ocean dragon, Ryujin.

It is a dark ocean blue with silver and gold shift and gold sparkles. I'm not sure I can see the gold but the silver makes it look like more like an icy deep blue. FUCKING GORGEOUS. (It matches my hair a little too much so I'll be remedying that with more purple soon...). Again, it's a very thin formula, more like water, and one layer can be sheer and little streaky/patchy.

So I let it dry down completely then added a blue lip liner to hide the natural pigmentation of my lips before applying a second coat of the lipstick. I've only received three colors so far but this has got to be my favorite.

They included a piece of bubble gum this month so I took an action shot because...why not?

The other item is a lip sugar scrub (it must be new because I can't find it on their site). Basically it's the Slumber Salve mixed with sugar. And it works beautifully. It doesn't taste too sweet, either, so I wasn't tempted to lick it all off before the oils and waxes could soften the skin.

Very happy with this month's items. I look forward to see what else comes my way in the future.

Morgue Drawer June 2018

Here we are again, folks. As the temperatures remain in the nineties, it feels safer to me to stay inside and write up a few blog posts/reviews. So let's start with my trash, eh?

AND SO....I DIE...

These make me sad. There's still product in each container but either the formulas have changed, they smell off, or they tingle against my lips and they're not supposed to do that. So I need to trash them.

Medusa's Makeup Lip Paint Remover: This stuff works great on MM's lip paints but after a while, the smell got horrible and the cap is all sticky and crusty with dried oil. It's basically almond oil, grapeseed oil, and fragrance so I imagine just almond oil will work fine. But they're having a sale right now and it's half off! I might keep the bottle and reuse it for something else. (CF)

Elf Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Nude Pink: I love this color and the formula. It started out smelling like mint but now it smells like menthol so into the garbage it goes. Would totally buy again, though, if they still had this shade. Which they don't. (CF)

Colourpop Lippies: These are probably the oldest CP lippies I own so it makes sense that they smell funny now, or the formulas have changed and actually burn when I put them on. As I have a ton of other lipsticks and glosses, I don't NEED to repurchase. Doesn't mean I won't, though...(L to R) Ultra Glossy Lip in Tight Fit; Ultra Satin in So Wavy, Lost, Petit Four, and Marshmallow (Tight Fit, Lost, and Marshmallow are still available on the CP site). 

SCRUB-A-DUB AND SMELL GOOD

Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Conditioner: I've been enjoying a lot of Paul Mitchell products lately and the hubby loves this conditioner (and matching shampoo), too! It works pretty well to keep hair clean and moisturized, which is good for me since I bleach my hair now. I ended up buying the bigger size so hubs and I can share. (CF)

Phyto Color Enhancing Hair Mask: I got this sample with an Ulta order, I think. Though it worked really well (at least at moisturizing), it's not a Cruelty Free brand so I won't be purchasing it in the future. It's also $59 for 6 ounces. Uh...no. (NCF)

Purlisse Coconut Oil and Coffee Sugar Scrub: This was a decent scrub, smelled great, but I only got one use out of this sample size. You need to use a lot to cover the whole body (I did, anyway, and I'm not very big). (CF/Vegan)

Mitchum Stick Deodorant: This worked okay. I like the clear gel formula much better. Pretty sure any deodorant that isn't one of the 'natural' brands, isn't cruelty free. (NCF)

Nature's Truth Sweet Almond Oil: I like to use this on my feet and toenails after I shower. It's a nice, light oil, that absorbs quickly into the skin. Good for all over the body, actually. Almond oil is used as a base for other moisturizers because it has no scent. Will buy again (it's not all gone but I poured the remainder into an empty pump bottle for easier dispersement). (CF - ?)

Purple Cat Apothecary Body Butters: Two more from the 5-pack sample set I ordered. The Lemon Chiffon was divine! Lemon and butter cake. The Frostbloom was okay. Kinda floral, kinda minty...hard to pin down. This formula was much thicker and drier than the Lemon one but both worked very well, especially over the almond oil I talked about above. (CF) NOTE: This was originally an Etsy store with art and body products. Apparently, Etsy is making is difficult and more expensive for people to use it as a store front so this woman only has an on-line art store at a separate website. Dammit.

SQUEAKY CLEAN

TN Dickinson's Witch hazel: I like to use this after I do a mud mask. It's great for cleaning off any excess or left behind product without drying out my skin. I know a lot of people hate the smell of witch hazel but it doesn't bother me at all. Very gentle and could be used every day. I think I got mine at the grocery store but it's sold everyone it seems. (CF/Vegan)

Everyone Lavender and Coconut Hand Soap: We've tried a few scents from this brand and I really have enjoyed them all. This and the Lemon/Mandarin one have been been my favorites. Great for the kitchen! (CF)

BBW Good Vibes Only foaming hand soap: I bought this scent to get a deal at Bath and Body Works so I wasn't expecting it to be great but I love it. Even the hubby, who's not one for a lot of scented cleansers, really liked it. But...because it's BBW, and they sell to China, I really have only been keeping my purchases to candles (I love their candles and haven't found anything else to replace them yet). (NCF)

CHOMPERS AND THE LIKE

ACT Restoring Mouthwash: I used this stuff every day with Invisalign and now it's just a habit I can't quit. Which is good! My teeth need a lot of help so this fluoride rinse is perfect. Doesn't burn like a mo-fo, either. (NCF)

Tom's of Maine Maximum Strength Sensitive toothpaste: Love this stuff. Will keep buying. (CF)

Simply Creative Living Honey Cherry Almond lip balm: I believe I talked about another lip balm from this company. I got it at my city's Farmer's Market or the 4th of July fair. Can't remember. This was just okay. Probably won't repurchase. (CF)

ALL ABOUT THAT FACE

NO:HJ Sheet Mask: Got this from my monthly subscription, Facestory. It was really nice and it had all these gold colored flowers all over it. I felt so fancy! It's a Korean brand so the cruelty free status is hard to know/confirm.

The Ordinary Buffet serum: I've raved about this product before here but lately, this stuff hasn't been working all that well. It's actually been breaking me out. I know skin can acclimate to a product, making it less effective, even develop reactions to some. Seems that's what's happened here. So while my backup bottles sit unused, I'm trying something else. I'll let you know how it goes. (CF)

Ole Henrickson Banana Bright Eye Cream: Got this in one of my last Ipsy bags, I think. The cream is yellow but not sure it's brightening. It's thick but doesn't absorb that well. In fact, it didn't really do shit. (CF)

SkinRX Labs MadeCera Cream: Another sample product but can't remember where I go it. I really enjoyed it, though. Felt great on the skin and did a good job of moisturizing. Again, SkinRX is Korean so can't confirm or deny cruelty free status.

Formula 10.0.6 Day/Night Cream: I've been using the day and night creams for a while. Still loving them. (CF)

ALL SORTS OF STUFF

The Ordinary Fluid Primer (forgot to put this with the makeup): This stuff is pure shit. When I bought it, the bottle was barely half full (but it wasn't wet or sticky so nothing leaked - it just wasn't filled). Can't get it out of the bottle THROUGH the dropper so I'd just wipe off enough OFF the dropper to put on my face. And then I felt like a total grease ball. I can't even use it up because it feels so gross and my skin hates it. (CF)

Burt's Bees Cleansing Oil: I really like cleansing oils so I thought I'd give BB's version a shot. It's...okay. Smells a little weird and doesn't do a great job but it's fine. I actually didn't finish this yet but I put the remaining product in a travel bottle. (CF)

Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleansing Pads: I got a sample pack of these years ago when I was still getting the Walmart box. And I really liked them so I got this full size at the drug store. Turned out they didn't really do that much for my skin. But I like the travel friendly pre-soaked pads (as opposed to a bottle) even though these felt kind of dry. Maybe that's why they didn't seem to do much. I'd be willing to try them again, though, in case I got a bad batch. (CF)

Manyo Factory Herb Green Cleansing Oil: I'm pretty sure this sample was what started my love of cleansing oils. This stuff was great. Smelled good and did a great job of removing makeup, especially after the heavy stuff I use for convention appearances! It's another Korean brand so I don't know if they're cruelty free.

First Aid Beauty Hydrating Serum (not sure why I didn't put this with the previous stuff): I've used a couple products from this brand before and while I did like them, I don't feel the brand is so superb to be worth the higher price tag. I did really enjoy this, though. (CF)

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly June 2018 Review

In case you missed my post last month, the indie make-up brand, Notoriously Morbid, has a monthly lipstick subscription service called Mystic Monthly. For $10, you receive one full-sized, exclusive Mystic Matte lipstick, plus one other full-sized lip product. And they're cruelty free! Check it out here: MYSTIC MONTHLY

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The theme for the 2018 MM service is, "The Dragon's Tail". The slip of paper contains info on the theme, the particular Dragon's name and history, plus ingredient lists for both products (sorry, the coupon code is just for subscribers). And, like last month, they included a little Dum Dum sucker!

Let's talk about the 2nd item first--the Night Kiss Lip Balm. I'm addicted to lip balms. I always need them, and I keep them in almost every room in the house (along with Kleenex). And, unlike last month, I'm pretty sure this IS full size. The balm is wonderful. Thick but not sticky or greasy. It lasts a really long time on the lips. And the smell is divine (baked goods). Super happy about this!

And now for the star of the show--the Mystic Matte lipstick in Bolla. Bolla is from Albanian folklore and is known as a transforming dragon, with three stages of change: starts as a snake, changes to the Bolla, then finally transforms into the Kulshedra. I don't really know what any of that means, but it sounds wicked-cool.

It's a cool indigo base with a warm violet sheen, and it's stunning, folks. The hand swatch shows you how thin and sheer the formula is. The first lip swatch is just one coat. The second lip swatch is two coats. I didn't go to a third, which was suggested, because it does start to feel really dry after that second application.

Because of its transformative abilities, this lipstick can be worn three ways (just like the dragon - see what they did there?). First, the sheer formula can be worn as just a light wash of color. Second, it can be built up to be more opaque. And third, it can be worn OVER another lipstick to change its color. Nice...

So let's see what happens when I apply it over two different lipsticks. The first is Wet n Wild's Liquid Cat Suit in the shade, Missy and Fierce (gorgeous red). It's a liquid lipstick, so I let it set before I put Bolla over it. The second pic shows one layer. The third is two, letting Bolla dry between coats. 

I'm not the most precise applicator of lipsticks, but you REALLY have to have a steady hand when trying it this way. If you don't get all the way to the edge, it looks like you're wearing a lip liner that is absolutely the WRONG color, which looks goofy in my opinion. But the color goes from red to a magenta-orchid purple. Which is TITS.

The second to last pic is Colourpop's Lippie Stix in Bull Chic, which is supposed to be a matte formula, but it never really sets, and feels more like a creme finish. When I put Bolla over it, (as you can see in the final lip swatch), it amped up the blue-purple aspect of the lipstick. Which is also TITS. It didn't matter if I put one or two layers on, it looked the same. But again, you have to be very precise with your application, and the watery formula of Bolla makes that difficult.

So until I get the hang of it, I think I'll just put on a blue or purple lip liner and wear Bolla on top.

Loved the products I got this month and look forward to playing with Bolla more!

Notoriously Morbid Mystic Monthly Subscription May 2018

I really thought I'd be on the waiting list for much longer before a space opened up on this lip product subscription service. But here we are! Right now this will be more of an introduction than a review. I have my Invisalign trays for only a few more weeks (gods willing) and once that's done, I can get a better idea of how most of these products will work. But let's get better acquainted with Notoriously Morbid, shall we?

Notoriously Morbid is an indie cosmetics company based in West Virginia, in the Appalachian Mountains. They are also cruelty free (hooray!) which is what made me check them out in the first place. From their site:

We pride ourselves in creating unique cosmetics that are
perfect for those who embrace their beautiful darkness.

Notoriously Morbid makes a ton of different beauty products, from eye shadows, face powders, body lotions, primers, blush and bronzers, lipsticks, and more. You will find a lot of the more 'unusual' colors, like deep greys, blues, greens, bright fuschias, etc., that many people may not find comfortable to wear on a daily basis (or can't due to work restrictions or what not) but there are tons of 'wearable' colors, too. None of that shit makes me uncomfortable and I work from home so further into the fray I went.

I discovered they have 2 subscription services. The Vanishing Cabinet is a monthly beauty subscription that costs $13.25 (domestic US) for 4-5 items, usually mini, with a pop culture theme. The Mystic Monthly is their lipstick subscription service with a yearly theme. It runs $10 for US customers (shipping included) and you get one full size exclusive Mystic Matte lipstick and one other full size lip product (could be another lip stick or something else already in stock). The theme for 2018 is "The Dragon's Tail". HOW COULD I NOT SIGN UP???

I signed up for the lipstick one because, unless you're new here and don't know, I'm a lipstick whore. I hopped on the waiting list and figured I'd get in long after my Invisalign was done. 

SURPRISE!

As I type this I'my wearing the Mystic Matte I received so I could at least get an idea of how it looks on my lips and how it feels. Not really trying to test the longevity yet but so far it's doing a pretty bang up job. Hopefully next month I can be a bit more thorough! But let me share a few pics I've taken of the products I received in my first month.

Free Dum Dum? HELLZ YEAH!

Notoriously Morbid includes a little info sheet with an explanation of the theme, lipstick name, the ingredients of both products, plus a shopping code (which is not for the unbelievers...I mean, non subscribers), and a sucker. Awesome! I think I got the cherry flavor because of the Slumber Salve.

The Slumber Salve is exactly what it sounds like. You put it on at bed time, sleep, and wake up with soft lips! The scent/flavor is cherry, strawberry, butterscotch, and pink lemonade. The lemonade is the strongest and it's seriously smells like a glass of pink lemonade. I haven't tried it overnight yet so I'll update you in another post. The little jar isn't full and searching the pics on the site, though the tubs look a little different, they are definitely more filled than mine. Keep in mind the product in my subscription is coating only one side of the jar (I'm guessing it melted a bit in shipping but it hadn't leaked or anything) and even after I scraped it out and set it right, the container was not full or even close. It might be filled by weight but even then, I have a hard time believing it's correct.

The Mystic Matte liquid lipstick is the main event here. I don't know if this color is the same for all subscriptions but it's called Katla. There's an explanation for that on the little sheet of paper, which is kinda cool. This color is a beautiful light copper with a pink base. Once you let the lipstick set a bit, and press your lips together, a bright gold sheen pops up. It's stunning. I don't think I captured it in the swatches, though. I like that the tube comes with a little mirror, too!

First pic is the lipstick freshly applied, still wet. The second was after it set a bit and I opened my window shade to let in some sun. You can really see the gold sparkles there! The gold sheen is a little apparent in the 3rd pic but my phone camera just didn't do it justice. The last photo shows that even after its set, you can still smudge the color (and that really shows the pink base). So while it IS set on the lips and kiss proof, it will come off when eating or drinking. 

Not sure if you can see how damn pretty Katla is in these last pics but trust me, she is. And now that I've had it on for a couple of hours (playing with the dog, drinking water, licking my lips as I struggle to figure out how to move forward on my current story...), you can see how it's faded on the inner rim of my lip. Which makes sense because that's the wet part (that's what he said) and most lip products will not adhere there for any period of time. It also hasn't bled or feathered into the lines around my mouth and that's awesome. I did NOT use a lip liner before applying Katla to my lips.

So for my first exposure to this brand, I have to say I'm happy. The full size Mystic Matte goes for $12.50 and the lip salve is $4 (though, again, I don't think my jar was full which is fucking weak). But I don't want to judge anything to high or harsh after just one month's experience with the service. I'll keep you all posted!

FINAL Medusa's Makeup December 2017 Review

Well, the time has come. December is my final month for the Medusa's Makeup monthly subscription box. It's been fun and I've really enjoyed about 50% of what I've received. Not the best score, not the worst, but not enough to keep going. At least for now. The good news is I've gone out on a pretty dang good note!

In case you'd like to check them out, head to their website for all pricing, inventory, etc. MEDUSA'S MAKEUP

(I paid for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The makeup bag included this month is new (valued at $8.00). It feels like it's made out of canvas, something sturdy. It's actually kind of nice but I don't know if I'll keep it. I have so many from Ipsy....oh fuck it. I'll toss one of those and replace it with this! The personalized note is also new. Very nice touch!

Contour Brush: I've received their eyeliner and angled brushes in past months and I've enjoyed them. The eyeliner one is too thick for precise lines but it still works if you don't mind a little messy application. This one is a flatter, denser brush with a slight point. It will be great for getting into the eye socket/crease. $6.00 (on their site they only have the whole set for sale but if you've never tried their brushes, $18 for the set is a good price to find out how they work for you)

Lip Balm: I was so excited to get this. I really wanted to know how it is, since it's new. I've only used mine once so far (since I have about 6 already opened around the house) but it feels really nice, seems to last a good while on the lips, and smells great. $8.95

Eye Dust in Golden Boy: DEAR FUCKING GODS WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT GORGEOUS COLOR!!! If I've learned nothing else from MM, it's that their eye dusts are fantastic (not the Mystical Eye Dusts - those are kinda lame). And that's not a built up swatch. I had very little product on my finger when I made that. So pigmented! I've already planned out a look for a convention I'm working this weekend so I can wear this. Ah...I feel faint...so...beautiful........ $8.00

Lipstick in Triple X: I've only received one regular lipstick from them before and it was beautiful. This is just as creamy and comfortable so I do recommend a lip liner. I was worried this was going to be way too bright of a fuschia for me. But the top pic is just one layer and it's rather sheer. It's perfect if you just want a little bit of a brighter color but aren't ballsy enough (or maybe bright fuschia doesn't work with your skin tone) to go full saturation. It can be built up so the second swatch shows that. Took 3-4 swipes across each lip to get this opacity. I have to admit I really like it both ways (hey now...). $12.00

So including the bag, this month's value is $42.95. Great value and great items to close out my subscription. In case you forgot, or are new, Medusa's Makeup is also a vegan and cruelty free brand so if you'd like to explore that route, this isn't a terrible place to get started!

Medusa's Makeup June 2017 Review

So nice to come home from a weekend con in Pittsburgh to see my MM bubble pack waiting for me! If you don't know, Medusa's Makeup is a monthly subscription service. For $16 each month you will receive 3-5 full sized makeup products from MM (as in, it's their specific brand). They are vegan and cruelty free. Check them out here: MEDUSA'S MAKEUP

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

Semi Matte/Creamy Lipstick in YOLO: While I despise that name, the shade is pretty. Again, it's a color I probably won't wear. Super hot pink! But it goes on like a dream and feels wonderful. $12

Oh So Natural Lip/Cheek Stain in Raven: It looks like it would be a deep blood red but it's more like a sheer lip balm. It feels great on the lips but on the cheeks, it basically just looks like I put grease on my face. No color at all. So I'll just use it as a lip balm! But that packaging is so dang cute! $8

Totally Baked Eye Shadow in Tubular: GORGEOUS color! I can't even handle it. It seems more pigmented than the last one I got (the pretty gold) and I hope it lasts longer than that one, too. I'm hopeful that because it's a darker color, it will. $9

Shimmer Effect Eye Dust in Jail Bait: Holy schnikies this color is stunning and super pigmented! Just look at it! Now sometimes these kinds of pigments will swatch better than perform but even the Wasabe color didn't swatch this beautifully. I'm super excited about this one. $8

Over all value of $37 is cool by me!

Ipsy May 2017 Review

For those who may not know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription. For $10 a month, you receive 4-5 sample (sometimes full sized) makeup, skin, and hair products. Check them out for yourself here: IPSY

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

The theme for this month is USELESS. And if you can believe it, the card is even smaller than last time and has even LESS information on it. What. The hell.

I have to admit, though, I kinda like the bag. It's a clear thick plastic that will probably be decent at holding liquids while traveling (NOTE: I've used this a couple of times now and yes, it's good so far). And who doesn't like ice cream? COMMIES, THAT'S WHO.

The little bottle of lotion was an extra I got for cashing in some points. My profile said the points would expire in February so I wanted to hurry up and use them before they disappeared. Soon after I redeemed this little baby, the pop up info told me that the remaining points actually don't expire until 2018. Son of a bitch. The lotion is...okay. Scent is a bit overpowering.

Okay. Now for the actual monthly products:

Global Beauty Care Charcoal Wash Off Mask - stung a little but sometimes that happens with a new mask. I love the twisty top that allows me to seal it back up so the rest of the product doesn't dry out! I can't find a lot of info on them so I'm not sure if they're CF. But I think this is full sized and goes for $5.

Pacifica Beauty Island Life Eye Shadow - I've received a few makeup items from this brand before. I really have enjoyed past eye shadows and these are just as gorgeous. Pretty pigmented but VERY soft so be careful when you want to finger (swatch) them. This palette is exclusive to Ipsy so I have no idea how much it's worth. (CF)

Royal & Langnickel Precision Angled Brush - I've heard a lot about this brand floating around the internets so I was excited to get one in my bag. But...I don't know what to do with it. I don't contour; it's too big for eyes; it's too small for blush. So, yeah. Again, can't find this exact brush on their site so I don't know the cost. But it's vegan so that makes it CF.

Manna Kadar Radiance Split Pan Highlighter/Bronzer Duo - While the sample is a little small to work with, the colors are beautiful. The bronzer will be a better eye shadow on me and the highlight is pretty. Again, can't find any damn info on sizes/amounts but I know it's not full  size (which is $21). It is CF though!

Mellow Cosmetics Creamy Matte Lipstick in Posh: I've never heard of this brand before so I'm glad I get to try something new! This lipstick is awesome. Gorgeous color that is more neutral/cool than warm, goes on smooth, and lasts quite a while without being drying. It's my favorite product this month! Mostly because I'm a lipstick whore. Full size and it's $13 (CF).

Well, I don't really have a value for the bag this month because there just isn't any info out there about some of the items. But I'm pretty sure it's over $10. Though I need to use the mask a few more times to be sure about whether or not it'll fry my face, I'm pretty happy with the rest of the items (even if I can't figure out price points).

LIPP Beautifully April 2017 - FINAL

Well, that didn't take long. After 4 months (for me), LIPP Beautifully is shutting down. For now. After this last month, they have cancelled all subscriptions and are working on growing, I think. Maybe they were bought out or just reorganizing. As much fun as this was, I don't think I'll be signing back up. I've got 12 little clam shells sitting in a bowl on my vanity just waiting to get used. But don't let me stop you from checking them out in the future. LIPP BEAUTIFULLY

It's cool. I have plenty of other stuff to keep my occupied. Again, for now...

For me, the shades in the clam shells ended up not looking like I thought they would once I put them on. But this is a good thing! Except for the last one. Ah, can't win them all!

Every Day: Ode is a beautiful deep blue pink. I thought it was going to be brighter, more neon, so I'm happy it's not.

Trend: Solution is bordering 90s brown. If it didn't have as much of a rose undertone then I'd probably hate it. But it's a nice blend of both colors.

Going Out: Secret is a gorgeous orchid shade. I thought it was going to be straight up hot pink but that blue/purple tone going on makes this color so much more awesome.

Limited Edition: Havana is much more orange than I thought it would be at first glance. It looked more bright cherry red in the sample pot. I don't do orange reds. Not really sure how they look on me. I just don't like the shade. Oh well. Also, whenever I see the word, Havana, all I can think of is Sheriff Bart and Lily VonSchtupp. Inappropes? Like you haven't done the same. Don't lie to me...

For $6 each month, I think this is a good value especially for anyone just getting into makeup or just wanting to try out some sample lip products without a full size commitment. I put their link up top so if you want to join up when they return, just click it and have fun!

Lipp Beautifully March 2017 Review

Already in my third month on this? How is that possible?

For those who don't know, I just joined this service in January. For $5.95 a month you get 4 samples of lipsticks (Trend, Going Out, Every Day, Limited Edition) with 4 sponge applicators. The samples are a good size so you'll get a 5-7 uses from each one to really test out the product. Use the code "10OFFGENERAL" to get 10% off your first month. If you join, as a subscriber you will get another code each month to get $5 off a purchase from their store (excluding Limited Edition shades). Check them out here: LIPP BEAUTIFULLY

(I pay for this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones)

Only one shade this month gave me the blahs because of shade, pigmentation, and feel. But the other three are beautiful.

TREND: Script is similar to last month's Verde color but with a bit more red tone so it looks like a warm rose-berry shade. Thick and creamy this is a gorgeous color and feels so nice on the lips.

EVERY DAY: Absence is my least favorite. It's too light for my skin (looks like concealer), very thin formula, and it's a bit streaky. Might be nice to mix in with other shades or use like a highlight in the center of the lips.

GOING OUT: Crime is a GORGEOUS bright cherry red color. This would be great for a pin up makeup look. Similar formula to Script.

LIMITED EDITION: Fiji is probably my favorite, even after that red one! Though the formula is a bit thin and streaky (like Absence) the color is stunning. I love it!

Very beautiful options this month and I might just go buy Fiji!

Medusa's Makeup March 2017 Review

All righty folks. I was researching a bunch of cruelty free subscription services and came across this one. I've heard of the brand, Medusa's Makeup, from Tori over on YouTube (I think). It's made in the US and all cruelty free and vegan (the vegan part doesn't mean that much to me - just the CF status). They have a monthly subscription service where for $16, you get 3-5 full sized MM's products. Pretty awesome. Check them out here: MEDUSA'S MAKEUP

I purchase this service with my own money and all opinions are my honest ones.

I took a ton of pictures for this first review so you can get an idea of how everything comes each month. I won't be quite so detailed in the future.

Similar to the Ipsy pink bubble pack (this one has a little more purple to it - not that it matters but...shut up), all the items come in this envelope with extra bubble wrap around the products inside. And UNLIKE Ipsy, the card included has all the product info WITH pictures AND pricing! See the size comparison of cards below between MM and Ipsy. Fucking weak-ass Ipsy card...

Anyhoo...

The products I got in my first month are pretty fucking tits. Granted, I don't like half of them but the sizes are great and the products themselves are cool. Let's get into it.

Stick It Eye Primer: This I don't like. It's one of those wax based eye primers that just don't work on my oily lids. When I first used it, and put the eye dust over it, the green pigment really popped! But within an hour or two, it had faded and creased like a mother fucker. This probably works better for people who have normal to dry eyelids. I'll see if I can find another use for it because it feels nice on the skin. Maybe for my nails/cuticles...? 

Lip Paint in Get Lucky: I like the product itself. Goes on rather smooth and it's pretty dang pigmented. But I don't like the color. A little too bright/neon for me and it can look kind of streaky at first. I think that's an issue for most bright or neon colors because of the white base needed to create it so it probably takes a little practice to get it to look really good (though I got it to look good for the swatch). But it didn't feel super dry. It was very comfortable!

Lipstick in Lydia: Now THIS is right up my alley. Love love love the shade, a soft lavender. The lipstick is very creamy, pigmented, and felt so great on the lips. A little similar to Colourpop's Marshmallow but a bit brighter with less grey. The packaging for the lipstick is freakin' awesome.

Eye Dust in Wasabe: My final product is a loose mineral pigment in a gorgeous bright green shade. The swatch below does NOT do it justice but it's a nice alternative if you want to go soft. It works best with a wet base underneath (like the primer but I used a glitter glue the first time I wore it and that shit didn't budge for 12 hours). That's when the color really explodes. Gorgeous! 

That's it for the first month. A $39 dollar value (see, the math is already done for me on the card!) for $16 is fucking sweet. I'm super happy with this service so far. Yes, it's just one month but what a first month! If anyone wants the lip paint or the primer just let me know. It's yours.