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ShopMissA Review 2.0! $1 Products- Worth It?

Alllllllllllllllll the way back in October 2014, I randomly stumbled upon a website called ShopMissA.com. It was basically an online dollar store for accessories, beauty products, nail accessories, and make up. 

I was really intrigued as everything on the site was $1 and there was a lot of fun stuff. So, I hauled away and wrote a review for everyone! 

I was marginally impressed with the items I received. But, this was never a favorite site of mine. So, I didn't pay too close attention to it. 

But, surprisingly, over the past month I have seen Shop Miss A pop up a lot more on social media and my old blog post has suddenly started getting views again. Crazy right?

So, I decided to do another haul to follow up on my last post to see what's up with the shop now! 

Let's Take A Look!

Here's what's up!

1. It appears that ShopMissA is leaning towards more makeup as opposed to accessories. Besides the cute sunglasses (which I'm sure are not UV safe), I was extremely underwhelmed with not only the selection- but the absolute abysmal quality of the accessories. It was actually hard to find items I wanted to buy for this haul. And when I got the items I was so "meh" on them. There's cheap jewelry and there's cheap, unwearable jewelry. I REALLY liked Shop Miss A for the accessories. But, this was a huge let down.

2. They have seriously expanded their make up selection. And the quality doesn't seem bad. They generally carry companies like Kleancolor and L.A. Colors. And, I actually was REALLY impressed with the items I got. I absolutely LOVE the 2 mini eyeshadow palettes I got. And was pleasantly surprised. I didn't buy any polishes this time. But, grabbed some nail decals.

3. Although a lot were sold out, they now have sheet masks! So, I grabbed 2 to try out:

4. And, as like like time, they had a vast, wide array of false eyelashes. But now, they've added on some more basics. So, I decided to grab some nail polish removing pads and make up sponges. That's kind of awesome.

5. They also have a lot of different types of accessories now that they didn't have before. They had a whole lot of gorgeous fans. But, most were sold out in the colors I wanted. I did however pick up 2 fans to experiment with for making my bridesmaids bouquets. So, these were kind of throw aways:

Overall, I've seen a lot of changes with Shop Miss A over the past year. For one, the shipping was much less expensive and EXTREMELY quicker than it was last time. It's exciting that they have gotten more and better quality make up items in as opposed to crusty nail polish. But, I was disappointed with how much of a drop in interesting and some what passable accessories they had.

I'm not going to lie to you or myself- I'll be back there this time. What's the loss at experimenting with items when they're only $1 each?

PSA: Influenster is running a GREAT holiday contest!

I just realized that Influenster is running a fabulous contest for the holidays!

It's a referral contest. So, I'm putting my referral code out there for you!

Use my referral code: www.influenster.com/r/709945 to sign up and start reviewing and referring! You will then be eligible to win:

Already on Influenster?? Click the Candy Cane on the top of the Influenster home page to find out more about this contest!



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Ipsy November 2014 Girl Meets Glitter Unboxing!

What it is: Ipsy Glam Bag
Where to get it: Ipsy.com
How much is it?: $10.00 monthly + tax
Types of Products: Skin, hair, body, and beauty products and make up.
What are the Perks?!: By reviewing items and sharing Ipsy info on Facebook, rack up Ipsy points to redeem for free beauty products.

Ipsy November 2014: Girl Meets Glitter Unboxing and Review!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news again. But, I hope not to dishearten anyone with another really negative unboxing review. But, I was gritting my teeth from the very moment I had access to my preview in my personal Glam Room. And let me tell you Ipsy, I am not a happy camper this month.

Let me go into a little more detail here. I was elated when I first found out Ipsy's November theme was going to be glitter. It sounded exciting and spectacular for the upcoming holidays. With how much I loved Ipsy's October bag- I thought I was on a roll. But, with every sneak peak, I felt the "glitter" theme was becoming a bit dubious. When glam rooms went live, I saw very little sparkle and shine over all. But, what I was completely floored by was the fact that my bag contained zero glitter products. On top of all this, every single product I received this month are items I have repeatedly try to opt out of. The final nail in the coffin was when I pulled up the full list of items I was not going to receive, I would have literally taken just ONE of any of the other items and would have been perfectly content. 

I am generally aghast at HOW badly Ipsy missed the mark this month. So, let's break it down:

Upon Opening That Big Pink Envelope:

I'd like to point out that my under eye cream was not actually INSIDE the make up bag. It was actually just floating around the envelope, completely detached from its card. Hence, why I have it pictured here.

Total Contents and Bag Close Up:

Ok, I guess the bag is sparkly... I like the bag. It's one of my more favorite Ipsy bags that I have received. But, I don't pay $10 a month for a make up bag.

1. SeaRx Micro-Dermabrasion Face And Body Scrub:

Sample Size of .3 g

I've said it once, I've said it twice, and I'll say it again. I am woefully wary of using new micro-dermal "scrubs" on my face. My apologies for being cursed with the bad genes of having large, unruly pores. But, I'm not willing to risk a breakout - when I'm already in my breakout season to go wily nily putting gritty scrubs on my face. I have opted out of receiving these products through reviews and my beauty profile. Yet, Ipsy still insists on sending them. On top of which, how small of a body am I supposed to have to use it there instead of on my face...?

2. Be A Bombshell Eye Base in Submissive:

Full Sized, Retails At $14.99

Truthfully, I don't even know what this is, and I don't want it. It appears that Ipsy can only get a hold of gold/bronze shades. And, now I just have too much- I'm overwhelmed and I couldn't even get the item to swatch well. I'm not a huge Be A Bombshell fan. And there's nothing I can do with all the other prime products that already stock my arsenal. I'll give Ipsy props for sending a full sized item. But, that's about it.

3. IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Cream:

Tiny Sample Size of .11 oz

This sample is tiny. I mean teeny tiny- probably one/two uses max. As per the theme for my bag this month- I have received another item I have tried to opt out of. Sigh. Especially since I just bought my amazing Benefit fake up stick last month. I am actually coordinated to trade this with someone via the Ipsy site- since no one else wanted any of the other products I got... It's only redeemable in the sense that I could trade it for other items I didn't receive this month.

4. Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Hairspray:

Travel Sized Listed for $2.99 on Ulta.com

Literally something I could never use. Oil of oil you say? Hairspray you say? I won't even touch this with a 10 foot pole or fear ending up looking like a drowned rat from the mid 80's.

5. Starlooks Lip Gloss in Guilty Pleasure:

Sample Size of .3 oz

Let's completely disregard that I'm already a Starbox subscriber. I'm sooooooo sick of getting Starlooks samples. And, this tiny sample is just an insult.

Ipsy, I've been a subscriber since mid 2012. And, I never had a bag I outright didn't like until this very month. So upsetting. To juxtapose my 10/10 for Ipsy last month, I am going to have to give my particular Ipsy November Girl Meets Glitter bag a 1/10- just because I liked the bag.  

That being said, there was a plethora of MANY other samples this month that were wonderful. My particular bag just didn't hit the mark: nothing sparkly/glittery, products I can't/won't use, and nothing excitable. 

As I stated in my underwhelming Sample Society November post yesterday, I really hope this month's subscription box let downs are just revving up for some great holiday boxes. Fingers crossed!

I also want to make a quick disclaimer as I have stated in an online forum:  I'm definitely not consistently unhappy with Ipsy. I've been a subscriber since 2012. And have adored the bag and love the inexpensive price.

My rationalization with Ipsy has always been that I'm paying $10 for a bag and always get at least one item I want and love and will use from that bag that equals out $10 over the months- everything else is cool extras to try and sample. Or to gift or sell. There's no losing except for the fact that I have run out of room to store everything and I don't know what to do with all these make up bags. Sometimes I get somethings that I want one month that are worth $4, the next I get something that are worth $15. It evens out.

What I find frustrating is the drop off the cliff I have seen in the past 6 months. I never rated or reviewed individual items because although there were products I did not want. I was under the impression that Ipsy was taking into consideration my beauty profile to help expand my look. A great example that I like to use is the bright red lip colors they consistently sent me. I thought maybe I had created a profile that screamed "Gwen Stephani" look. I'm fair, light blond, "adventurous" style etc in my profile. Although I didn't particularly care for these products and would definitely prefer a product closer to my colors- I thought I could see what they were doing there.

That being said, my perception is the reason you don't see people complaining about a lot of the other sub boxes is because they do not put an insane amount of emphasis on the promise of creating a box specifically catered to the individual.

Ipsy has given the impression that they do through the beauty profiles and product reviews. It would be obnoxious for people to consider that they will everything they want in every bag. But, for example, this month I am not getting a single item I would ever want or use. And sans the red lipstick, I would have taken literally anything from the really substantial list of things that I am not getting.

That's fine. It's one bag. I'm not going to go throw myself off the Empire State Building. I really just wanted to see if consistent feedback actually has an impact in curating a more suitable bag or if this is just Ipsy lip service.

And, I think what you're seeing here is the disconnect of expectation Ipsy creates vs what they actually deliver. If they were like Sample Society for example- you get what you get and you don't get upset, here's a coupon. Then I think you wouldn't hear so much rabble about Ipsy. But, as of late, it seems Ipsy has gotten so big that they're far afield of what they used to be in regards to matching products,value of products, shipping dates, etc. That things feel more like a random lottery than anything else.

Escape Monthly October 2014 England Unboxing!

My Escape Monthly took a hot minute to get here this month. It seemed lost in the mail for almost a week :(

But, it's kind of awesome!

This month, we escaped to England! Here's my unboxing:

Upon Opening...

I was greeted with a waft of something that smelled wonderful and some treats on top!

Our List of Items:

1. Rick Steves' London Travel Guide listed At $19.99 (found on Amazon at a list price of $12.00, on sale for $ 8.85).

2. Soapsmith 3-Piece London Soap Sample listed at $8.00.

3. Westminster Caddy of English Breakfast Tea listed at $11.00

4. Hill Custard Creams listed at $3.00.

5. Rush House Vibrant Dry Body Oil listed at $7.00.

6. Walkers Nonsuch English Creamy Toffees listed at $4.50.

7. London Diecast Taxi listed at $12.00, found on various sites for $4.00!

8. Bonus Item: Corkers Natural British Crunch Chips listed at $3.00.

Let's Dig In!

1. Rick Steves' Pocket London:

As per the norm, I received a pocket guide book. I think this is a cute idea for Escape Monthly to do. However, I find it somewhat insulting that I feel like they are "padding" the value of the box with the guide books and expecting consumers not to pick up on this. On the Rick Steves' website the book sells for $12.99. They're also for sale for around $8 on Amazon and B&N.

I like the guide books, but no, not for "$19.99." Come on guys!

2. Soapsmith 3- Piece London Soap Sampler:

So THIS was that awesome smell? I really like this mini set. The box is adorable- there are 3 different types of soap in the sample and they all smell great. My only little issue was that scents available in the sample weren't readily available for me. But, I looked them up. I *think* I received Limehouse, Lavender Hill, and Brick Lane- but I'm not 100% sure. This cute little set is a win!

3. Westminster Caddy of English Breakfast Tea:

I don't even care about the price comparison, etc. We go through pounds of tea in the winter and we just got 14 new teabag! My fiance loves English tea. And the tin in really cute. I think he'll be happy to see this when he gets home! And, I will definitely reuse this tin and keep it with all my other English Tea tins! This is a win!

4. Hill Custard Creams

There is something wrong with you if you're going to complain about getting cookies in the mail. I got cookies. And I'm pretty happy about it!

5. Rush House Vibrant Dry Body Oil:

This was another great smelling item in my box this month. And, for some lucky reason, I received 2. Lucky me! I'll definitely use this... twice over!

6. Walkers Nonsuch English Creamy Toffees

I will retain mantra I had about cookies. If someone is sending me candy in the mail, I will not complain. Especially not a whole bag of candy. I am eating one of these now. They're delicious and will not last the week. We will all completely disregard the fact that I should be getting in shape for my wedding. 

7. London Diecast Taxi

Not gonna lie, this is probably the most WTF item I have ever received in a subscription box. And for supposedly $12.00- I feel like its a waste. First, a quick google search reveals that this item doesn't sell for more than about 5 Euro, max. Okkkkkk. I'm almost sure that the company that sells the item directly sells it for 2.99 Pounds- which is about $4.80.

To me, this is a waste and also jerking me around that this thing would be $12... Not a win.

8. Bonus Item: Corkers Natural British Crunch Chips:

Now, I'm not sure what the Escape Monthly "Bonus Item" is supposed to be about. I really didn't care for last month's bonus item. And, It's not really clear what the whole bonus thing is. But, moar snacks! I'm saving these for my fiance. The flavor is unusual, but something I may like. I'll report back!

Overall, my fiance and I are big London fans. For some reason, he made me hang a UK flag in our living room. The body products are lovely and I LOVE all the awesome snacks. I mean, that's the reason I signed up for Escape Monthly. That being said, a subscription box company should know their audience. And, I have generally found that most sub box subscribers are very internet savvy. I mean, take one look at Ipsy's and Birch Box's websites. It's kind of insulting to be sent items that are easily researched to be significantly less than what the actual cost of the item is.

For this box, I will give it Escape Monthly London, a 7/10 for the items. But, I am seriously considering the cost for these boxes after next month. Just because next month is we're off to...

Hawaii!! (Hopefully my honeymoon local!)

And I'm in the mood for more coconut stuff!

ShopMissA Review! $1 Products Review!

About a week ago, I posted a link to the Miss A Website that's been gaining popularity for it's $1.00 products. You can find all that info here!

I figured I would buy a couple things specifically for review for my blog!

I've been meaning to sit down and write a review. But, please bear with me, as this is a LONG one and has taken me a little while to sit and write.

To start, I tried to buy at least one item from a number of categories including jewelry and accessories, nail art and cosmetics. I was slightly disappointed that many of the items I liked and wanted were out of stock at the time I was trying to shop. To add to that, if something is out of stock, the site did not allow for me to add the item to my wish list. That was incredibly frustrating.

What I did to circumvent this was to create a Shop Miss A Wants Pinterest board with all the items that were "temporarily out of stock" that I would have considered buying.

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the quick ordering and turn around- the whole process took about a week total and tracking was included with my order.

Everything came packaged nicely in a bright orange bag with lots of bubble wrap and tissue paper:

Upon open the package, I revealed a very nice stash!

1. KleanColor American Eyecon Wet/Dry Baked Shadow in Matte Purple:

From the make up section, I chose a wet/dry purple eyeshadow, I feel like my life goal is finding and sharing with the world every purple eyeshadow ever created. I'm extremely tentative about using an unknown product on my eyes. The eyeshadow is by KleanColor and is normally $2.99 as per the KleanColor website.

The color looked very vibrant. However, I did notice a chip on the right side of the shadow (by where it says Kleancolor). Ok, we're winning so far... Then I tried to swatch the shadow both wet and dry. I wasn't too too happy with the results...

Well. Ok then, I'm only out a $1 and I was wary about using $1 eyeshadow to begin with. I'm not going to have an emotional meltdown over this.

2. KleanColor Lavender Scented Nail Lacquer in Lavender Kiss.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this yet elsewhere on the blog, but lavender is one of the colors/themes of my wedding. So, OF course, I had to try this color. I've been looking for a nice (but inexpensive) polish to include in my bridesmaid's gift bags. The polish is $3.49 on the KleanColor website.

But, for the life of me, I couldn't get the top off!!!

So, I had to wait until my fiance got home, so he could give it a try. And I came to find this:

So, um. I got sent what is pretty obviously used nail polish. It was lightly scented. But more like bubble gum than lavender. I opted not to use the product because it seemed compromised.

Ok, $2.00 down the drain. But, I just started right?

3. 3 Sets of Kara Eyelashes (2 sets of Style #43 and Style #199).

I bought 2 sets of Style #43 by accident. But thought it would be nice to show try that pair to demonstrate here. I looked around and you can generally find these lashes for around $1.50

So, I took off all my eye make up before applying. How do I look? 

Had some eyelash glue at home. I'm not going to lie- with the nefarious shadow and polish- I did wipe down the lashes with some alcohol.

Waiting to dry...

Hey! The were easy to apply, took me about 2-3 minutes each eye and they were nicely shaped! 

5 minute make up...

Not too shabby! Ok. These lashes are win. I would definitely consider buying all types of styles if I ordered from Miss A again.

4. Michelle Hoop Earrings:

Meh, you can never go wrong with some cheap hoop earrings right? 

Website Picture: 

Here are mine!:

Ok. Looking pretty good.

5. Missy Pastel Pearl Necklace in Purple:

I was kind of bummed out that the actual pearl necklace I wanted was sold out. But, this one looked good to try. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it came with some cute earrings. And, for $1.00, I really can't complain but the necklace is very "stiff" and sits oddly on me. It is also tied at the base with an annoying little piece of plastic hanging off the decorative part.

Website Picture:

 

Here's mine plus the earrings:

And that annoying plastic piece that I can't stop playing with:

6. Elegant Pearl Hair Comb Cuff Pin in Gold:

I was also kind of bummed out that this was sold out in silver. But, I decided to opt for gold because I wanted to just see if I could pull it off. And, if I couldn't- whatever.

Website Picture: 

Here's Mine: 

Honestly, my hair is so fine that I couldn't even keep the clips in for more than 2 seconds. Maybe I'll play around with it to see if I can make it work!

7. 2 Flower Hair Combs:

I thought these were cute and could be added to my hair for the wedding. Just experimenting now.

Website Picture:

Here Are Mine: 

And, they actually stayed in my messy hair!!:

8. Chain Link Elastic Headband:

This is cute. I'll definitely use it in the future. But, I'm not sure how long it will last.

Website Picture:

Mine:

9. Luxe Nail Decor # 27

Ok. I have NO idea why I bought this thing. It is SO ridiculous. That being said, I was kind of just going nuts with the website at this point in time. It's just so silly

Website Picture:

What I got: 

Embracing my inner Dracula:

Yeh, I'm never going to use this thing. It's huge on my nail/finger and I.... I don't even know.

and FINALLY!

10. Vintage Cameo Pendant Necklace in Purple:

This was another consideration for my bridesmaids. But, truthfully, the chain is WAY too long. I do like the pendant though and may alter it to fit me better.

Website Picture:

Mine: 

It isn't too cheap looking and it's cute. I can dig it.

Overall, I would say my suspicions were confirmed. I will probably use Shop Miss A in the future for cute 1 or 2 time wear costume jewelry and to re-up on eyelashes. And, will forego the cosmetics.

Good stuff!

Will post if I buy more in the future!