October 2013 Ipsy (MyGlam) Review

Hello my beautiful friends!  My Ipsy bag arrived last week, and I can't wait to share my thoughts with you!

Not familiar with Ipsy?  Ipsy is a beauty subscription service that sends out 4-5 full size or deluxe size items each month, for just $10, shipping included, or $14.95 if you are in Canada.  If you would like to try Ipsy out, won't you consider using my referral link?  I get points for free goodies, and you get good karma.  Everyone wins!

 The envelope.

These pink envelopes seriously make my day.  Seeing this in my mailbox is definitely a happy moment!

First look

The first peek inside the envelope is always the best.  I spy a white bag and an insert card!

The Insert Card

This month's theme is The Art of Beauty.  I really like the concept of this theme.

 The discounts

Ipsy is always awesome, because they work with brands to get us subscribers awesome deals.  This month looks like it's got lots of great codes available to us!

October's bag

This month's bag is white, with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson written on it in pink, swirly letters.  While this bag isn't to my particular liking, Tween Angel loves it, so I will likely gift it to her.

Inside the bag

The liner of the bag is plain pink, and very nice.  This month's bag feels thicker than the usual bag, and a bit more durable.

Zoya Nail Polish in Mason, 0.5 fl oz (full size), retail $8.00, available HERE.  Discount code IPSYZ3 gets you a buy 2 get 1 free deal and a free Remove+, until 11/10/13, continental US only, can't be combined with other offers.

The first item I found in my bag is one that everyone received,  a Zoya nail polish.  There were three shades that were sent out this month; I received Mason, a pretty purple.  

 Swatch of Mason- two coats

I really love this color- I wear a LOT of purple, and dark shades don't scare me. I will say that this stained my nails a bit, and I did have some problems with chipping.  However, I had a blast creating my new favorite nail look- ombre nails- with it.  This shade is just so pretty, it suits me to a T.
GRADE: 4.5/5

H2O Plus Hydrating Treatment, 10mL (deluxe sample size), retail value $7.20 (full size is 50mL, $36.00), available HERE.  Discount code IPSY13 will get you 25% off any purchase, until 11/15/13, US only, not valid on gift certs or prior purchases, can't be combined with any other offer.

I really love face treatments, and I was excited to receive the H2O Plus hydrating treatment.  This moisturizer goes on pretty sticky, but does a nice job.  I have a couple of dry patches on my face, and after using this, they were not noticeable.  I will say that because it is sticky, I would only use this at night. The vibrant blue color is a bit daunting, but it goes on clear.  I probably won't repurchase this, but it will definitely get used.
GRADE: 3.5/5

Nourish Organic Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Body Lotion, 30mL (deluxe sample size), retail value $1.25 (full size is 8 oz, $9.99), available HERE.  Discount code Nourish20 will get you 20% off your Nourish Organic purchase until 11/10/13, one time use only, not valid in Canada (boo!), cannot be combined with other offers.

I love lotion, and I love coconuts. While another lotion was sent to some other subscribers, I was interested to try this.  I opened up my tube, and put some on.  I was immediately puzzled by the scent- this does NOT smell like coconuts.  It took me a while to pinpoint the scent, but I think it smells like black pepper.  It is definitely a weird smell for a lotion, and while it is definitely NOT greasy, it also didn't leave my hands feeling moisturized.  At all.  Also, my tube wasn't properly sealed at the top- I have to be careful when I squeeze it so that I don't have lotion coming out of both ends!  I won't be repurchasing this, but I will use it up.
GRADE 2/5

Ofra Lipgloss Plumper in Sultry, 10mL (full size), retail $12.95, available HERE.  Discount code ipsy30 will get you 30% off any purchase from Ofra, until 11/14/13, can't be combined, only valid in the US.

I only received ONE makeup item this month, and it was this lip gloss.  I love me some makeup, so I was sad that I didn't receive enough products to create a look, but that's the way subscription lotteries go!  

Swatch of Ofra Lip gloss in Sultry

This plumping gloss went on a bit thick, and after a few moments, I could feel the tingle of the plumping agent. I don't think this worked really well as a plumping gloss, but the color is beautiful for fall.  The packaging seemed a little on the "lower end" side- squeeze tubes don't go a long way to impress me.  The shade definitely makes up for the packaging, and it stayed on for a good long while. If you are sensitive to peppermint, the plumping agent, or don't like the tingle sensation that plumping glosses sometimes have, I would avoid this gloss, but if those things aren't a concern for you, I think it's worth a try.
GRADE: 4/5

Style Sexy Hair Spray Clay texturizing spray, 1.4oz (travel size), retail $8.00 (full size is 44 oz, $18.95), available HERE.  Discount code 105339 will get you $5 off $25 purchase or more of Sexy Hair products, until 11/15/13, cannot be combined, one time use only.

This item was a real puzzler to me.  Spray clay?  What exactly am I do to with this? I tried this in my hair wet to add volume and texture, and it didn't do anything at all, really. I tried this on dry hair, and it did add a bit of texture and volume, but it didn't do anywhere near as well as my Sea Salt Spray (from Not Your Mother's).  I will see if the hubster can use it.
GRADE: 3/5 (probably great for some, just not for me!)

Ipsy has really begun to randomize their bags, based on their IpsyMatch program, to match items better to subscribers.  I'm not 100% convinced that this works, but for the most part, I have received items that I enjoyed testing out.  This month, however, I was really sad not to receive some of the other items that were sent out.  I changed up my beauty quiz, and hopefully this will change what I receive in the future.

Items that I did NOT receive, but other subscribers DID (with pics when available to me to photograph):

Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmers in either Emotion (a purple) or Nave (a blue); full size (2.5 g), retail $14.99, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 50% off any purchase plus free shipping until 11/15/13, can't be combined with other offers.

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly, deluxe sample size (2ml), retail value $9.00, (full size is 0.15 oz , retails for $19), available HERE.  No discount code this time!

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster, deluxe sample size (0.25 fl oz), retail value $12.00 (small full size is 1 fl oz, retails for $48.00), available HERE. Discount code LOVEIPSY will get you 20% off your purchase of $50 or more, plus free shipping, until 11/15/13, US only, not valid on sale items or gift certificates.
  Ole Henriksen Truth Creme, deluxe sample size (0.25 fl oz), retail value $6.62, (full size is 1.7 oz, retails for $45.00), available HERE.  Discount code LOVEIPSY will get you 20% off your purchase of $50 or more, plus free shipping, until 11/15/13, US only, not valid on sale items or gift certificates.

Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel, travel size (1.4 oz), retail $5.00 (full size is 8.5 fl oz, retails for $16.95), available HERE.  Discount code 105339 will get you $5 off $25 purchase or more of Sexy Hair products, until 11/15/13, cannot be combined, one time use only.

Coastal Scents Medium Shadow brush, full size, retail $2.49, available HERE.  Discount code CS25 will get you 25% off any purchase, until 11/7/13, cannot be combined, available internationally.

La Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser wipes, deluxe sample size (10 pack), retail value $3.33 (full size is 30 wipes, retail $9.99), available HERE.  Discount code IPSYLOVE30 will get you 30% off any purchase, until 11/15/13, one time use only, available only in the US.

Be Delectable Hand Creme, deluxe size (2 fl oz), retail value $3.00 (full size 8 fl oz, retail $12.00) available HERE.  No discount code this time!

 Starlooks Lip Pencil in either Tipsy, Tickle Me Pink or Bare, full size (2.4g), retail $12.00, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 20% off a purchase of $35 or more, unlimited usage, valid worldwide.

Wet 'n' Wild Fergie Eyeshadow Palette in Desert Festival, full size (0.19 oz), retail $4.99, available HERE (or at your local Walgreens or other drugstore).  No discount code this time! (Swatches coming soon- I HAD to buy this :))

Well, that's EVERYTHING that was sent out this month- here's a pretty picture of what I received:


October 2013 Ipsy My Glam Bag

All in all, this month was just "okay" for me.  I've had better bags, and there WERE some things that I would have NOT liked to receive, and I DIDN'T get those items.  I'll definitely keep Ipsy another month, and hope that changing my quiz will create me an awesome bag, as both September and October were just "meh".  November is my BIRTHDAY month, so I'm hoping for a fabulous birthday month from Ipsy!

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Here's the part of this post where I break down the monetary value of my bag (and list the other items I didn't get so you can figure out your bag a little easier):
What I received-
Zoya polish (full size) $8.00
H2O Plus hydrating treatment (deluxe sample) $7.20
Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Lotion (deluxe size) $1.25
Ofra Lipgloss Plumper in Sultry (full size) $12.95
Style Sexy Hair Spray Clay texturizing spray (travel size) $8.00

What I did NOT receive, but you might have-
Bella Terra Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Shimmers (full size) $14.99
Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly (deluxe size) $9, 
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster (deluxe size) $12
Ole Henriksen Truth Creme (deluxe size) $6.62,
 Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel (travel size) $5.00
Coastal Scents Medium Shadow brush (full size) $2.49
La Fresh Oil-Free Face Cleanser wipes (deluxe size) $3.33
Be Delectable Hand Creme (deluxe size) $3.00
Starlooks Lip Pencil (full size) $12.00
Wet 'n' Wild Fergie Eyeshadow Palette (full size) $4.99

Total Out of Pocket: $10, shipping included
Retail value of MY bag: $37.40
Not the HIGHEST value bag that I've received, but also not the worst!

If you would like to see the Unboxing video I made, I've added it here below:

So tell me- what did YOU receive from Ipsy this month?
Until next time, my lovelies- stay Average!

Disclaimer: I paid for these items with my own my husband's money.  The opinions in this post are my true and honest reviews of these items.  No company requested nor required this review.  The links are NOT referral links, except the Ipsy link.  That's totally a referral link because I like free things.

Ipsy (MyGlam) March 2013 Review

Hey, gorgeous!  I just received my March Ipsy bag in the mail, and I seriously canNOT wait to share it with you all!  Do you have your bag handy, ready to open with me?  Let's go over the products together, shall we?

Just in case you are new to Only Average Mom, Ipsy is a mail order subscription service, that is $10 a month; shipping included.  Ipsy sends you a makeup bag, filled with 4-5 deluxe samples or full sized items for you to try; along with coupon codes in case you love what you get and want more!  If you would like to sign up for Ipsy (currently a wait list- sorry!), go HERE.  Go ahead, I'll wait.
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Back now?  Good.

Doesn't look very full...but good things come in small packages.  Right???!!

When my gorgeous pink packet came in the mail, I was seriously happy; and could NOT wait to get inside to open it up!
 

I spy a printed bag with...rope?  Maybe?

The first thing I notice inside is the awesome print bag- so awesome!

LOVING the bag!!!

I absolutely LOVE the bag this month- it is absolutely SUPER CUTE, and my favorite so far!  I totally plan to use this as my purse makeup bag, even if it means I need a bigger purse!  If you have read my blog for any length of time (and if you don't, hi and welcome!), you know that I live in a coastal town and that the beach, bay and ocean are a very large part of my life.  This bag is just so...ME; I absolutely love it!!  The material is silkier than I thought it would be, it feels like nylon, and it is lined in white (sorry, no pic!).  The bag is white and navy; the white has a hint of a blueish tinge to it.

I adore the hand-drawn feel to the card this month.  LOVE it :)

The insert card is always a fun part for me too; it lists all the awesome discounts that are offered as a perk of my Ipsy membership.  Plus, it announces the theme of this month: The Great Escape.  Very appropriate for me right now: with everything going on, I NEED a Great Escape!  

Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist, 1 fl oz, $3.26 retail value (available at Juice Beauty; coupon code GLAM20 will get you 20% off any purchase of $30 or more, expires 4/10/13) Full size is 6.75 oz, $22

The first item in my bag is the Juice Beauty Hydrating Spray.  I currently use Clinique toning lotion after I wash my face, and although I am happy with it, it's great to change things up and try something new!  This product is a deluxe sample, and claims to "Tone and hydrate with this refreshing blend of rosehip, ylang ylang, resveratrol grapeseed oil and antioxidant-rich organic juices for a fresh, radiant complexion", and is designed for all skin types. For a 1 oz sample, it really looks like a lot, and that it would last a long time.  I gave this a spritz to test the scent, and was a bit overwhelmed.  You all know (if you are regular readers) that i am very sensitive to anything with fragrance, and while this did not exactly trigger an full on allergy attack for me, it came very close.The scent of the spray is a bit...overpowering for me, and I caught a whiff of gardenias (maybe?). I will say, it DID smell...very organic.  I'm not exactly sure how to describe the scent, but I DO know that I don't want to smell like this all day- not to mention that it could send me to a tizzy if it combines with anything else remotely floral. I'm glad to receive an organic product, though, don't get me wrong!  I am passing this on to a friend who loves floral scents.
GRADE:3/5 (nice product, points for being organic, but the scent was really bad for me!)

Yaby eye shadow pans (no weight listed, full size?) retail value $3.15 each (available through Yaby Cosmetics, discout code ipsyglam20130325 will get you 25% off of any order, expires 4/15/13)

I love that these shadow pans already have a sticker on the bottom with their color name and number.  Saves the trouble later if we want to reorder!

The item I was very excited to see in my bag were these beauties: Yaby eye shadow singles.  Again, I'm living under a rock because I have NEVER heard of Yaby.  I don't have a Sephora, and we only JUST got an Ulta store an hour away.  Country living is both a blessing and a curse, people.  Before I ramble on again, Yaby Cosmetics sells refillable palettes (like the GlamRX below; well; sort of), and sells their products already depotted.  They are striving to be enviromentally responsible by NOT using a huge amount of packaging that will just be thrown away; and use pans that will stick to any magnetic palette (not just their own!).  I give this company an big "thumbs up" for being responsible! Ok, enough about Yaby the company- let's talk about the product!

Seashell swatch.  It's hard to see, but that's more because of the color than the pigmentation, I think.

Swatch of Azalea Petal.  I had to work really really hard to get this swatch, even with a good brush.

I received these shadows in the shades and the first thing I noticed is that the pinky (azalea petal) color was really hard to swatch.  I rubbed and rubbed my finger on it, but could only get a faint pink color.  I tried a brush and loaded it like crazy, and finally was able to get a swatch.  The cream color (seashell) wasn't as hard to swatch, but it wasn't pigmented like my UD shadows, either. I tried a few different brushes, hoping that the lack of pigment was user error.  I eventually found a shadow brush that picked up the azalea petal well, and was able to apply it.  Since a good primer can fix any shadow product, I'll be sure to use UDPP to make sure that the pigment stays up!  The pans are pretty small (about the same size as the Coastal Scents from last month, give or take), so I'm not 100% sure that these are full size or not. I really like the colors I received (but would have LOVED the teal.  You listening, Ipsy? or anyone who got it and hates it? I'll take it!!).  The neutral colors I received work well with my skin tone, and I'm glad for that!  One thing I WILL mention, though: Yaby is a Canadian company, and shipping to the US is a bit high.  Ok, astronomical.  $11.80 for 1-3 weeks with no tracking for ONE shadow pan.  No, I'm not kidding.  Order with care!
GRADE:3.5/5 (magnetic, yes.  pigmented, not so much.)

LA Fresh travel-lite Makeup Remover Wipes (8 ct.), $1.99 retail value (available at LA Fresh Group, coupon code IPSY13 will get you 30% off any beauty wipes, expires 5/31/13)

I'm funny about makeup removers.  Serisouly, though, did you expect any less? I'm really an all-natural girl- I use olive oil.  Really.  That's it.  That being said, I'm excited to have received the LA Fresh Makeup Remover Wipes!  This is a full size sample; but the travel-sized one, with 8 wipes. The package was smaller than I thought it would be; but then, I am very used to baby wipes.  I love how this size will fit well in my purse, or carry on (if I were actually going somewhere for spring break; we are not).  The wipes have a baby-fresh smell to them, but are NOT all natural.  Seriously, these wipes have FIVE different types of paraben in them; not good (google it, if you dare!).  I gave them a try anyway, despite having not the greatest ingredient list.  My first reaction was that the wipes don't seem to be overly large (about the size of my hand or so), but it turns out that any larger would just go to waste.  The wipes did a nice job of removing most of my makeup, with the exception of my eyeliner.  Because I get a lot of eyeliner transfer to my upper lids if I skimp on quality liner, I am really careful to only use products that have awesome staying power; so the wipes might not be able to fight the awesomeness that is Be A Bombshell eyeliner, without some work.  The other thing I noticed is that my skin had a kind of film on it after using the wipe.  I don't ever use makeup wipes, so can anyone tell me- is it supposed to do that?
GRADE: 3/5 (worked pretty well, but I don't like the feeling after use, and parabens? Boo.)

GlamRX Freestyle Palette, retail value $5 (my best guess), Ipsy Exclusive (palettes with product inside available through Glam Rx, discount code IPSY will get you 20% off a touch-up palette; expires 4/15/13) Full size palette with product is $16.50.

Gift card is shown for size reference.  It was NOT in my bag (my kids would die- their fave store!)

Gift card on top of the palette for size reference. This card is the same size as any credit card.

Palette open, the whole recessed bottom is magnetic.

 I saved the item I was most looking forward to for last: the GlamRX Freestyle Mini Palette.  This cute palm sized palette has a mirror on the lid, and a magnetic shelf to add your own depotted pans of product; like eye shadows.  I don't own anything like this, although there are several great ones on the market, and I seriously couldn't wait to try it out!

Palette with products inside it (Clinique blush, Clinique eye shadow duo, shadows on the right are Coastal Scents for the top three, and Yaby for the bottom two)

The only catch with this palette is, the pans must be made of a magnetic metal, or they won't stick.  The Coastal Scents shadow quad I received last month is aluminum, so it's a no-go; so I put a magnet sticker on the bottom.  I love that this one palette can hold anything I choose to put into it- it would be great to put a few favorites in one place to take with me on the go.  GlamRx sells palettes similar to this one, only with a second level in them.  The upper level holds powder, eyeliner, lip gloss and concealer, and the bottom layer is a magnet for your own pans, and holds brushes.  As far as I can tell, this palette, the "Touch Up Palette", is the only item GlamRx sells, and it retails for $16.50.  This makes it very hard to calculate the retail value of this Freestyle palette.  I am going to call the retail value on this as $5- I figure the Touch Up has 4 pans of product plus brushes, and I would pay $5 for a magnet palette.  If anyone actually KNOWS what the value is, please let me know and I will adjust.  I depotted the pans in the palette picture above- for the first time ever- and would be happy to write a short tutorial on how I did it, if you would like me to help walk you through it.  Just ask!

GRADE4/5 (it's reeeealy tiny!) 

March 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag!

This month was a great, solid bag from Ipsy.  I've heard some grousing about how there is only 4 items in the bag (if you count the eye shadows as one), but the last few bags have had 5 (Ipsy promises 4-5 items monthly), so I think they have spoiled us!  On the whole, I'm happy with this month's bag- there are a few items that are new to me, and honestly, is there such a thing as "too much eyeshadow"?  The best part of Ipsy is trying out things that you never thought to buy.  Sure, there are some misses (there are bound to be!), but for only $10, it's totally worth it!  What, you don't subscribe to Ipsy?  What are you waiting for?  Head on over and get on their wait list (first come, first serve, sorry!) so that you can enjoy getting a perfect pink packet each month, and unbox with me!  I am sure you will love it as much as this Only Average Mom!

Here is the financial breakdown:
Money Spent- $10, shipping included
Retail Value- $16.55, not including the bag.  If you want to include the bag in the price, I'd say, add about $3 or so.

Although the value of the bag is MORE than what I spent, this bag isn't as great as the previous ones have been, value-wise, for Ipsy.  I love what I got, so I'm not disappointed, but I do feel that maybe there could have been more in the bag as we subscribers are used to a better value.  Mixed feelings, here.  Happy with the stuff, but wanting a better deal.  I'm certainly not giving up my spot for a waitlister anytime soon, but hoping for a higher value box this year.  This month's winner is definitely Beauty Army (sorry, Ipsy!).  My BA Box is scheduled to be here this week too, so Stay Tuned for the awesomeness I'm expecting in it!

Have you gotten your glam bag yet?  Happy with it?  Upset?  Agree with me, or disagree, I would LOVE to hear from you! 

Disclaimer:  The products listed above were purchased by me, with my own money.  I was not asked nor required to write this review, and the thoughts above are my own.  The links are NOT affiliate links, and go directly to the company's websites.  I was not compensated in any way for writing this review.