Lariat and Ipsy
Now if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time you likely know I'm a total coffee nut. But what you may not know is that in the last year I've become a bit of a makeup nut too. I got this subscription to Ipsy which sends you 5 samples in an adorable little bag once a month for $10.00 a month. I love, love, love it! Today I just received my new Ipsy bag and am trying some new stuff in my favorite coffee. So I thought I'd do a blog reviewing the products just for kicks. Maybe I'll start that every month just for fun and so you all can have some new fun products to think about trying. So let's start with coffee.
Lariat Coffee Roasters is my absolute favorite coffee roasters of all time. They have a variety of blends and roasts that range from light to dark roasts and a couple of good espresso roasts. They have a cold brew that is to die for that is from brew to bottle in 48 hours. If you've ever tried to make cold brew you know its not always easy to get a good cold brew if you don't do it right. Lariat nails it on the head every time. They are award winning roasters. Mind you, I've had a lot of coffee over the years. Yet nothing beats the perfect cup of Cowboy Mud French roast first thing in the morning or when I'm feeling home sick. It's bold and brash and yet not a bit bitter. Running at $15.00 a bag, it's the best coffee on the market in my personal opinion. I usually put a little French vanilla creamer in just because I love the flavor but the coffee is bold enough that the creamer doesn't hide the taste of it. It's why I prefer to drink French roasts versus a light or medium roast. The coffee itself has a smooth flavor that leaves an almost sweet after taste. Today I added a touch of Barrel-Aged Simple Syrup from Woodenville Whiskey Company. While I wasn't sure what to expect from a pure cane sugar aged in a freshly emptied whiskey barrel, I was very pleasantly surprised to find it an utterly delicious addition to my coffee. It even allowed for much less creamer than the norm. It didn't take very much to get the rich sweetness into my coffee. And when bought through Lariat it's only $14.95 a bottle. I know for a fact that bottle is going to last me a good long time even if I do add it to other things than just my coffee. I can't wait to try my new Papa New Guinea roast which was also aged in a whiskey barrel while the beans were still green before being roasted. And when I get around to making my Basecamp Espresso roast, I'll let you know how the two are. Though being Lariat I'm sure they are worth an amazing brag before I even taste them. On a side note, you can order Lariat through their website lariatcoffee.com.
Onto Ipsy. Ispy is a blast because in a way it's a little like Christmas every month. Like I said, you get 5 samples every month in a super cute little bag. I always know when my Ipsy bag is in my box with it's brilliantly, shiny, pink shipping bag. At the beginning of each month they pick out the various things for you bag, and then once chosen, they send an email that you can choose to peek at your new items or wait and be surprised when the bag comes. A few days later you will receive an email that they have shipped it and you can track where your Ipsy bag is and when it's in your box. I promptly run and go get it the first moment I get a chance to. I'm far to impatient to wait and be surprised, so I always peek. Sometimes the samples are well, sample sized, but often they are full sized for things like eyeshadows, eyeliners, lip balms, and nail polishes. More often than not even the sample sizes of masks (unless it's a sheet mask which they usually send a couple of) and such are enough to get several uses out of. It gives you a really good idea how the product works for you. I've had a few that didn't work for me due to skin issues on my end but I just gave them to someone who they did work for, often my mom. Even those have been few and far between. This month I got a small shader brush from Luxie, 24 hour liquid eyeliner from Jonteblu, macaroon lip balm from KVoss, Dream nail polish in Raspberry Fizz from PS Cosmecuetical, and lastly eyeshadow in Green Apple from Steve Laurent all tucked in a blue little bag.
Alrighty, so let's start with the eyeshadow shall we? Steve Laurent is supposed to be a pretty good brand and in my experience with this particular one I'd say they were dead on. The pigment is bright, and it slides on beautifully. Mix and match it with some blues and you've got a gorgeous look that will make you seem as if you stepped out of the ocean and it left it's mark on your eyes. It came off well with soap and water, and would look beautiful on it's own or blended with other colors. The liquid eyeliner is the bomb. Granted I'm a fan of liquid eyeliners anyways, but this one is amazing. I drew pretty designs on my hand to give it a whirl and it stayed put as I tackled kids, washing hands with soap and water (major scrubbing involved just to see if it would stick, it did), and even making lunch. It's still sitting there just taking the abuse I throw at it and coming out like a champ. The nail polish is a bright beautiful color. It goes on smooth and is very even. My only beef with it is it's not a glossy polish, but that's easy to fix with either a coat of glitter or sheer top coat. Otherwise it also seems to be taking to abuse of everyday life pretty well. I can't wait to mix it with an accent color for a fun summer look to go with my red hair. The lip balm from KVoss is great. Smooth, softens and moisturizes well. It would be perfect for under any lipstick or gloss to keep those lips fresh for kissing or coffee. Love it and I plan on using a lot. It's the perfect size to fit in a purse or back pocket for trucking around or to sit in your makeup organizer for the beginning of your day. Now the brush I haven't used but I've used and have several of Luxie's brushes. They are always great and good quality. Especially if you keep them clean and take care of them. They blend well, and are a very handy thing to have for a variety of uses when it comes to makeup application. Some brushes can be almost harsh on the skin. These are soft to the touch but can get the job done. I can't wait to use the new one for blending my new eyeshadow.
Well everyone, that concludes my reviews for the day and now I'm off to get some cleaning done...after my nap. Hope you enjoyed this as I know I sure had fun writing it. If you get a chance to try any of these products let me know what you thought of them in the comments. Later Taters!
Lariat Coffee Roasters is my absolute favorite coffee roasters of all time. They have a variety of blends and roasts that range from light to dark roasts and a couple of good espresso roasts. They have a cold brew that is to die for that is from brew to bottle in 48 hours. If you've ever tried to make cold brew you know its not always easy to get a good cold brew if you don't do it right. Lariat nails it on the head every time. They are award winning roasters. Mind you, I've had a lot of coffee over the years. Yet nothing beats the perfect cup of Cowboy Mud French roast first thing in the morning or when I'm feeling home sick. It's bold and brash and yet not a bit bitter. Running at $15.00 a bag, it's the best coffee on the market in my personal opinion. I usually put a little French vanilla creamer in just because I love the flavor but the coffee is bold enough that the creamer doesn't hide the taste of it. It's why I prefer to drink French roasts versus a light or medium roast. The coffee itself has a smooth flavor that leaves an almost sweet after taste. Today I added a touch of Barrel-Aged Simple Syrup from Woodenville Whiskey Company. While I wasn't sure what to expect from a pure cane sugar aged in a freshly emptied whiskey barrel, I was very pleasantly surprised to find it an utterly delicious addition to my coffee. It even allowed for much less creamer than the norm. It didn't take very much to get the rich sweetness into my coffee. And when bought through Lariat it's only $14.95 a bottle. I know for a fact that bottle is going to last me a good long time even if I do add it to other things than just my coffee. I can't wait to try my new Papa New Guinea roast which was also aged in a whiskey barrel while the beans were still green before being roasted. And when I get around to making my Basecamp Espresso roast, I'll let you know how the two are. Though being Lariat I'm sure they are worth an amazing brag before I even taste them. On a side note, you can order Lariat through their website lariatcoffee.com.
Onto Ipsy. Ispy is a blast because in a way it's a little like Christmas every month. Like I said, you get 5 samples every month in a super cute little bag. I always know when my Ipsy bag is in my box with it's brilliantly, shiny, pink shipping bag. At the beginning of each month they pick out the various things for you bag, and then once chosen, they send an email that you can choose to peek at your new items or wait and be surprised when the bag comes. A few days later you will receive an email that they have shipped it and you can track where your Ipsy bag is and when it's in your box. I promptly run and go get it the first moment I get a chance to. I'm far to impatient to wait and be surprised, so I always peek. Sometimes the samples are well, sample sized, but often they are full sized for things like eyeshadows, eyeliners, lip balms, and nail polishes. More often than not even the sample sizes of masks (unless it's a sheet mask which they usually send a couple of) and such are enough to get several uses out of. It gives you a really good idea how the product works for you. I've had a few that didn't work for me due to skin issues on my end but I just gave them to someone who they did work for, often my mom. Even those have been few and far between. This month I got a small shader brush from Luxie, 24 hour liquid eyeliner from Jonteblu, macaroon lip balm from KVoss, Dream nail polish in Raspberry Fizz from PS Cosmecuetical, and lastly eyeshadow in Green Apple from Steve Laurent all tucked in a blue little bag.
Alrighty, so let's start with the eyeshadow shall we? Steve Laurent is supposed to be a pretty good brand and in my experience with this particular one I'd say they were dead on. The pigment is bright, and it slides on beautifully. Mix and match it with some blues and you've got a gorgeous look that will make you seem as if you stepped out of the ocean and it left it's mark on your eyes. It came off well with soap and water, and would look beautiful on it's own or blended with other colors. The liquid eyeliner is the bomb. Granted I'm a fan of liquid eyeliners anyways, but this one is amazing. I drew pretty designs on my hand to give it a whirl and it stayed put as I tackled kids, washing hands with soap and water (major scrubbing involved just to see if it would stick, it did), and even making lunch. It's still sitting there just taking the abuse I throw at it and coming out like a champ. The nail polish is a bright beautiful color. It goes on smooth and is very even. My only beef with it is it's not a glossy polish, but that's easy to fix with either a coat of glitter or sheer top coat. Otherwise it also seems to be taking to abuse of everyday life pretty well. I can't wait to mix it with an accent color for a fun summer look to go with my red hair. The lip balm from KVoss is great. Smooth, softens and moisturizes well. It would be perfect for under any lipstick or gloss to keep those lips fresh for kissing or coffee. Love it and I plan on using a lot. It's the perfect size to fit in a purse or back pocket for trucking around or to sit in your makeup organizer for the beginning of your day. Now the brush I haven't used but I've used and have several of Luxie's brushes. They are always great and good quality. Especially if you keep them clean and take care of them. They blend well, and are a very handy thing to have for a variety of uses when it comes to makeup application. Some brushes can be almost harsh on the skin. These are soft to the touch but can get the job done. I can't wait to use the new one for blending my new eyeshadow.
Well everyone, that concludes my reviews for the day and now I'm off to get some cleaning done...after my nap. Hope you enjoyed this as I know I sure had fun writing it. If you get a chance to try any of these products let me know what you thought of them in the comments. Later Taters!
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