Ipsy (My Glam) Review- February 2014

Hello, my lovelies!  It’s that time of the month again- IPSY TIME!  Ipsy is, in my opinion the best beauty bag available, for the money you spend.  I’ve (to date) never received a foil pack sample, and usually receive makeup and skin care products that I haven’t tried before, and have found lots of new favorites through this subscription.

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service, where you are sent 4-5 deluxe sample or full sized items each month, for $10 (US subscribers, plus tax in some states), or $14.95 (Canadian subscribers).  If you would like to subscribe, and want to send some love my way, HERE is my referral link.

 Enough chit-chat- on to the goodies!

Pink envelope of goodness

I love seeing this pink envelope in my mailbox, because I know that there will be something fun and possibly awesome inside.  Ipsy is my monthly splurge on “me”- and it’s almost like getting a present in the mail each month.

First Peek

I spy a pretty bag…I wonder what’s inside it?

The Bag

I love the shape and color of the February bag- It’s a bit different from the other ones I have received, and the solid dark pink is a great background if I want to add some art, or to send on to a Girl Scout with goodies inside it.  Love it!

The inside is adorned with a pretty leopard print- this makes my inner 4 year old smile.

Insert Card

February’s theme is “The Look of Love”, perfect for Valentine’s Day!  At our house, Valentine’s Day is more about selling Girl Scout cookies than it is about romance, but hey, I AM a hopeless romantic, so this theme suits me quite well. 

The Brands

Ipsy has done a great job finding brands to partner with, for each bag.  I spy a few repeat brands this month (mostly a yay), as well as some that are new to me.  I’m excited about some of these discount codes, too!

This month, everyone received 2 items (with shade variations), and then 3 items from an assortment of products.  I’ll start with the two items that everyone received.

POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini Lip Gloss in Peony Petal; deluxe sample size (4g/0.14 oz ); approx. retail value $7.53; full size is 8.5g/0.3 oz and retails for $16.00; available HERE.  Discount code PoppingPout will get you 25% off your purchase, until 3/15/14, US only.

I’ve received POP Beauty items from Ipsy in the past, and have formed a mixed opinion of them.  While I hated the mascara (last February), I really like how pigmented the eyeshadow trio I received in December was, and the lip crayon I received in July (?) is smooth, creamy and wears nicely.  I was excited to try out this mini gloss and see where it falls on the win/fail scale!  Ipsy sent out the Plum Pout Mini glosses in 2 shades; Peony Petal and Fuschia Freesia.  I received Peony Petal.

Swatch of POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini Lip Gloss in Peony Petal

I really love plumping glosses, because I have smallish sized lips.  I gave this a try and was happily surprised with this gloss.  The gloss itself isn't tingly or stingy, and isn’t sticky at all, and lasted an acceptable amount of time.  This pretty, shiny pink gloss is definitely a new favorite of mine.

GRADE: 5/5

Zoya nail polish in Odette; full size (0.5 fl oz/15 ml); retails for $9.00; available HERE.  Discount code IPSYZP4 will get you a buy 2 get 1 free deal, with a free Zoya Remove, until 3/15/14, $5 shipping or free shipping on orders over $50, continental US only.

If you read my blog, you know that I’m kind of obsessed with Zoya nail polishes.  Their 5-free formula and beautiful colors make this awesome brand an easy addiction for me. Ipsy sent out polish from Zoya in two shades; Odette (mauve cream in the Naturel collection) and Dot (petal pink cream in the new Awaken collection).  I received Odette.

swatch of Zoya nail polish in Odette

I gave this shade a try, and as expected, I instantly fell in love.  This taupey mauve is what I call an “grown up” purple.  The polish was opaque in 2 coats, and lasted several days before chipping.  I added a few heart confetti pieces and created a beautiful Valentine’s day look.  It’s terribly tempting to use the discount code from this month and spend all of my husband’s money on polish, but alas, I must resist!

GRADE: 5/5

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner in Starshine; full size (0.04 oz); retails for $15.00; available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 25% off any purchase, until 2/28/14, one time use per customer, US only.

I’m not sure how it’s possible, but while I am familiar with the brand name Mally, I’ve never had the opportunity to give this cosmetics line a try.  I was so excited when I saw that I was getting this pencil, and couldn’t wait to try it out!

Swatch of Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner in Starshine

Seriously, this silver color is gorgeous.  I gave this a try, and was amazed at how long-lasting this eyeliner is.  I swatched this on my hand, and went about my daily business (including washing my hands) and was astounded when 24 hours later, it was still shimmery and bright!  I wore this out a few days (at cookie booths, in the wind and rain) and this liner is every bit as good (if not better!) than Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liner, my current HG pencil liner.  I think I’m in love!

GRADE: 5/5

Uberliss RituOil, deluxe sample size (10 ml /0.34 fl oz), retail value $3.32; full size is 60 ml/2 oz and retails for $19.90; available HERE.  Discount code IPSY30 will get you 30% off any purchase, until 3/15/14, one time use per customer, cannot be combined, US only, free domestic shipping.

I have really frizzy, uncontrollable hair.  While I don’t have hair products selected on my Ipsy quiz, I have told them about my crazy mop top.  I was excited to see this in my bag, because it might put a dent in my hair’s frizzy curls, and tame my tresses!  My bottle of oil had a wonky cap, and leaked all over my bag.  Ipsy has great customer service when it comes to these issues, though- I had a reply to my email in less than an hour, with a promise for a replacement!  There is enough oil in my little bottle to test this out, though, so I gave it a try.  I tried this on my daughter's hair.  Her hair is moderately curly:

Tween Angel's hair, when wet.

I used the Uberliss RituOil on the right side of her hair, and my personal favorite straightening oil, Paul Mitchell's Super Skinny Serum on the right side.

Uberliss RituOil, after straightening

Super Skinny Serum after straightening.

The directions on the RituOil said to apply to damp hair, and blow dry, then touch up with a straightening iron.  This is exactly what I did.

Both sides, together

As you can see, both sides are very nicely straightened, with minimum frizz, and Tween Angel looks beautiful.  And much older than 11.  But I digress.  I will say, that the next day, the Super Skinny Serum side was much more straight than the RituOil side, but still looked nice and frizz free.

GRADE:4/5

Jesse’s Girl 9 Pan Eye Shadow Palette in Behind Blue Eyes, full size (0.22 oz), retails for $3.99; available HERE; discount code IPSYFEB2014 will get you 20% off your purchase, until 3/15/14, free shipping on US orders over $20 or $5.95 shipping on order under $20, after discount.

From the first time I peeked at the spoilers for February, I KNEW I wanted to try this item.  Jesse’s Girl cosmetics is one I’ve sampled a bit of, but want to try more of.  The full size Jesse’s Girl palettes were sent out in several shades; I received Behind Blue Eyes.

Inside the palette

I gave these shadows a try, and was happy with the pigmentation and staying power.  I probably wouldn’t have purchased this particular palette (I don’t wear a lot of blue eye shadow, generally.), but I am happy to have it, and it is a nice addition to my collection.  My very first impression was that this palette is INSANELY difficult to open.  You can watch in my unboxing video below my struggle to remove the lid.  It’s entirely possible that because the Uberliss oil spilled on my bag contents that it somehow made the clasp more difficult to use, but I did wind up breaking it in my efforts to get to the shadows! 
 

Swatch of Jesse’s Girl 9 Pan Eye Shadow Palette in Behind Blue Eyes.  Top row is no primer, bottom row is over Nyx's Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk.

I tried these shadows with and without primer, and while I had to apply a bit more than usual to get the look I wanted, the shadows didn’t creep, crease or fade.  Urban Decay and Lorac are both still my favorite prestige shadow brands, and Wet ‘n Wild is my favorite drug store shadow brand; but I will definitely be picking up another of these, in a different color, in the very near future.

GRADE: 3.5/5 (long lasting, acceptable pigmentation, but hard to open!)

That’s my Ipsy bag this month!  While I have points for a referral gift, the ones currently offered weren’t anything new for me, so I’m holding off for another month.  While that’s all I received, it may not be all YOU received.  Other items sent to subscribers this month are listed below. Sizes and approximate values are based on Ipsy’s listings of what was sent.

Other items sent out by Ipsy that I did NOT receive, but other subscribers DID:

City Color Be Matte Blush, full size (8.9g/0.314 oz), sent in shades Fresh Melon, Blackberry, Dragonfruit, and Toasted Coconut; retail value $2.99; available HERE.  Discount code 14IPSY20 will get you 20% of your purchase, until 3/15/14, one time use only, continental US only, flat rate shipping ($6.96) or free shipping on orders over $50.

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay, deluxe sample size (1 oz/28 g), retail value is approx. $5.11; full size is 134g/4.7 oz and retails for $24.00, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 20% off of any purchase, until 3/31/14, one time use per customer, cannot be combined with other offers, free shipping on orders over $50, code valid in US, Canada and US Virgin Islands.

Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base in One, full size (0.14 oz/), sent out in the shades Spiced Rum, Violette, and Ambrosia, retails for $18.00, available HERE.  Discount code IPSYLOVE will get you 50% off any purchase and a free nail polish, until 4/10/14, cannot be combined with other offers or Lacquer Cabinet subscriptions, minimum purchase $12, free polish automatically added, valid in US and Canada.

J. Cat Beauty Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue, full size, sent in styles EL43, EL747L, EL747XS, EL01, EL05, EL13, EL15, EL20, EL66 and EL213; retails for $3.99, available HERE.  Discount code eyeluvjcat will get you 25% off any purchase, until 3/15/14, US only.

PHYTO-C Velvet Gel (wrinkle and line reducer), deluxe sample size (0.01 oz), retail value $1.25; full size is 30 ml/1 fl oz and retails for $125, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY20 will get you 20% off your order of 30ml Velvet Gel and code IPSY15 will get you 15% off your order of 15ml Velvet Gel, until 4/4/14, $5 flat rate shipping.

skyn ICELAND Fresh Start Mask with Ice Age Mud, deluxe sample size (one 2 step mask, 0.28 oz), retail value $6.50; full size is 6 mask packets, and retails for $39.00, available HERE.  Discount code IPSYFSM will get you 50% off one item and 20% off additional products, until 3/15/14, cannot be combined with other offers or gift cards, one time use per customer, valid only in US and Canada.

Dr. Lin Skincare Acne Spot Corrector, travel size (0.5 fl oz/15mL), retail value $4.50; full size is 1.0 fl oz/30 mL, and retails for $8.99, available HERE.  Discount code IPSYDRLIN will get you 50% off any purchase until 3/31/14.

IPKN NY Moist & Firm BB Crème in light, deluxe sample size (0.05 oz), retail value approx. $1.35; full size is 1.3 oz/40ml and retails for $35.00, available HERE.  No discount code available this month, maybe next time!

Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Body Butter, travel size (2.5 oz/73 ml), retails for $7.00, available HERE.  Discount code ipsy20 will get you 20% off any purchase, until 3/15/14, one time use only, cannot be combined with other offers, valid only in continental US and Canada.

 NuMe Intense Renewal Hair Mask, deluxe sample size (20 mL), retail value approx. $3.28; full size is 6 fl oz/177 mL, and retails for $29.00; available HERE.  Discount code nipsyparty50 will get you 50% off your order, plus free shipping and a free classic curling wand, until 5/11/14, free reverse curling wand in black is valid on purchases of $75 or more, and is automatically added to your order, cannot be combined with other offers, coupons or promotions, not valid on steals and deals, shipping or taxes, free shipping is for US customers only.

 

February Ipsy Glambag 2014

Here’s MY Febuary bag contents, and all in all, I’m very happy with what I received.  The awesome thing, for me, about Ipsy, is that I don’t care for something I receive, I have a whole host of friends who are happy to try things out that don’t work for me.  I do have horder tendancies when it comes to makeup (don’t we all?), but I try to be generous with my overflow and spread the love.  This month, I think I’ll be keeping everything- I’m very happy with this bag!

Here’s the point in my blog post where I do a financial breakdown.  Each item from this month is listed below, the better for you to figure out what your bag’s retail value is:

POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini Lip Gloss (deluxe sample): $7.53

Zoya nail polish (full size): $9.00

Mally Beauty Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner (full size): $15.00

Jesse’s Girl 9 Pan Eye Shadow Palette (full size): $3.99

City Color Be Matte Blush (full size): $2.99

Tini Beauty Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow + Base in One (full size): $18.00

J. Cat Beauty Eyelashes + Eyelash Glue (full size): $3.99

Uberliss RituOil (deluxe sample): $3.32

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay (deluxe sample): $5.11

PHYTO-C Velvet Gel (deluxe sample size): $1.25

skyn ICELAND Fresh Start Mask with Ice Age Mud (deluxe sample size): $6.50

Dr. Lin Skincare Acne Spot Corrector (travel size): $4.50

IPKN NY Moist & Firm BB (deluxe sample size): $1.35

Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Body Butter (travel size): $7.00

NuMe Intense Renewal Hair Mask (deluxe sample size): $3.28

Total retail value of my bag (approx.): $38.84

Total spent out of pocket: $10.00

While not the HIGHEST valued bag that I’ve ever gotten from Ipsy, it’s also not the cheapest.  I am pretty happy with most everything in my bag, too, so that’s always a big plus.  Value and cost have little to do with either other: value is determined by how much you want or will use an item; cost is just what the company wants you to pay for an item.  While this bag has a nice retail pricetag, I am very, very pleased with my bag’s actual value to me.

If you would like to see my unboxing video, and watch me struggle in person with the Jesse's Girl palette clasp, here is the video:

And, here is the look I created with my Ipsy February bag.  I didn't straighten my hair, but left it curly, so I have not included the Uberliss oil in this look. but I did use the rest of the items :)

So, tell me, lovely- what did YOU receive in your Ipsy bag this month?  Anything that I didn’t receive that I simple MUST try?  Leave a comment and let me know! 
Until next time, my lovelies- stay Average!

Disclaimer: I purchased these items with my own money my husband's money.  I was neither requested nor required to review these items, and all links in this post are NOT referral links (except the Ipsy link.  I totally want the Ipsy points).  I strive for honesty.

December 2013 Ipsy (My Glam) Unboxing and Review

Hello my lovelies!

My favorite mail day has arrived- Ipsy Day!

Pink Envelope of Goodness

I seriously LOVE receiving this pretty pink envelope each month in the mail.  It really makes my day.

First Peek

The first peek inside the bag is always the best- especially if nothing is broken or crushed :)

Celebration!

December's Theme is "Celebration!" I love this- not only is it Ipsy's second anniversary, it's also the time of year that is filled with parties, family and gatherings.  Ipsy is also having a contest this month, if you post a picture of your Glam Bag on Instagram with the proper tags, you could win a year's subscription to this fabulous service.

The brands

I always love the little insert cards in each package; it is a fast introduction to the brands that are featured each month, and have cute little pictures on them.  December's bag is no exception.

December 2013's bag

I absolutely, positively LOVE this month's bag!  It's the same style as June's bag, and the shiny black diamond-pattered outside is perfectly paired with a deep red liner.  This bag has instantly become my purse cosmetic bag, and will remain so for quite a while, I think.

Each month, Ipsy sends out 4-5 items, either deluxe samples or full sized items.  This month, Ipsy send 2 items to all subscribers, and the remaining 3 items varied from bag to bag.  I'll start with the items everyone received.

Be A…Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush, full size (7.3g/0.26 oz), $16 retail, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY40 will get you a 40% discount, and a free full-sized raspberry tart blush, until 1/15/14, US only, can’t be combined with other offers, free item is automatically added when order ships.

I've enjoyed trying out the Be A...Bombshell line.  The One Stick is a product that is for use on the eyes, cheeks and lips (hence the name), and this pretty pink is a beautiful blush shade on me.  I tried it on my lips, and it applied kind of thickly, and it was too frosty to look good with my skin tone.  I have yet to try it on my eyes (I have lots of pink shadow), but I think this would work well as a cream shadow (maybe as a base).  When I heard that we were getting this product, I looked for a picture of it, and was surprised when it arrived at just how big it is.  I guess I was expecting a product the size of a lipstick tube, and this is MUCH bigger than that, and will last a long time.  I am pretty happy with this- it's the first cream blush product that I actually like.
GRADE: 4/5

POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio in Smokin’ Hot, deluxe sample size (4.35g/0.15 oz, 3 pans of shadow), $7.20 retail value, available HERE. Full size retails for $24 and includes 10 pans of shadow.  Discount code EyeLuvPOP gets you 25% off of any purchase, until 1/15/14, one time use only, can’t be combined with other offers, US only, excluding territories, free shipping on orders $75 or more.

I've had good and bad luck with POP Beauty before- I really disliked the mascara I received earlier this year, but the lip crayon was a flattering shade for me, and a decent formula.  My first impression of the eyeshadow trio was that the palette was hard to open.  Like really REALLY hard.  As in I wound up breaking two nails, and using a butter knife hard. I swatched the shadows and they seemed to be lightly pigmented, but when I went to use them on my eyes, I was very impressed with the consistency. I gave this shadow trio a try, and while I would have preferred the neutral palette, these went on nicely, blended well, and created a long lasting smoky eye look that I rocked for a full day.  I did put these on over primer, and I think that it made all the difference.  I don't currently have a palette specifically for smoky eye looks, so this is a welcome addition to my collection.  I will try to branch out more into this look for evenings out, but I don't think I will ever give up on my love for color!

GRADE: 4/5

 Ipsy also sent each subscriber a lip product: each bag had either a J.Cat lip pencil or a NYX lipstick.  I received...

 Nyx Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Celene, full size (4g/0.14oz), $4.00 retail, available HERE. Discount code IPSYSLIM gets you 35% off of the slim lip pencil until 1/15/14, one time use, can’t be combined with other offers.

Once I found out that I was going to receive the NYX Lipstick, I was really excited. I've wanted to try out their formula, but don't currently have any in my collection (how did THAT happen?).  When I opened up my bag, and saw the color that I received, I actually sad the words, "You've got to be kidding me!"
Ipsy, please- I don't wear pale shades.  I don't wear much gold.  Please send me pretty pinks, corals, and blue-based reds.  Please don't send me any more zombie-inspired lipstick shades.  Please??  I did give this a try, and it was worse on my lips than on my hand.  I'll try layering this over a darker lip shade; hopefully I can find some use of this tube.  It's really a shame, because I really like the formula.
GRADE 3/5 (Great formula, horrific shade)

The remaining two items in each bag were from an assortment of items.  Here is what I received:

Nicka K New York polish in NY112, full size (0.5 fl oz/15ml), $4.99 retail, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY gets you 30% off until 1/10/14, cannot be combined with other offers, US only, free shipping on orders $50 or more.

I love me some nailpolish, and I have never heard of the brand Nicka K.  I received a pretty taupe shade, with purple undertones in some lighting.  I gave this a try and I really love the formula.  This polish is long lasting, and applied smooth and creamy.  I had total opacity in two coats.  

Swatch of Nicka K Polish in NY112 (gold sparkle top coat on all of them except the ring finger)

This color isn't my favorite shade, but after I added a gold sparkle topcoat, I think it is fantstic!  I don't have any like this at all in my collection, so this will most definitely get used.  I think this is my favorite product in my bag this month.  Love it!
GRADE: 5/5

Ardell Natural Lashes in 120 DEMI, full size (1 pair), $3.99 retail, available HERE.  No discount coded this month, sorry!

I have a love/hate relationship with lashes.  I love them, but I hate applying them.  I finally have a method that works fairly well, and these applied nicely.  I don't think that the lashes looked particularly natural on my face, but they were light and easy to wear.  The glue included did a nice job of holding them in place, which for me, is unusual for the little samples in the lash packs, so this was a big plus.
GRADE: 4/5

In my bag this month, I also received a referral bonus- so a HUGE thank you to anyone and everyone who used my link to sign up for Ipsy!!

Beauty blender and blender cleanser, deluxe sample (blender alone is $19.95), available HERE.  Full size retails for $23.95 (1 blender and 3 oz of cleanser).  No discount code currently available.

I have never tried the original Beauty Blender before, and I have to say, that I was pleasantly surprised.  I expected the foam to be more dense (like the one I purchased from the Ulta brand), and was happy with how it applied the foundation.  The cleanser was great, and did a fabulous job of cleaning my sponge.  I was amazed at how much the blender "grew" once it was dampened!  This is seriously my new go-to for applying foundation.  Love it!  This is a fabulous extra, and I am super happy with it!
GRADE: 5/5

I took one swatch photo this month, of everything on my hand.  Here 'tis:

Top: Nyx lipstick in Celene
Middle: Be A Bombshell The One Stick in Girl Crush, Nicka K polish in NY112 (Classic Taupe)
Bottom: POP Beauty Smokin' Hot Trio

Items YOU might have received in your Ipsy bag, but I did not:

J.Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil, full size (0.3 oz), retails for $3.99, available HERE.  Discount code jcatlips will get you 30% off of any purchase, until 1/15/14, can't be combined, US only.

Mirabella Eye Blender brush, full size, retails for $27, available HERE.  Discount code IPSTER will get you 30% off of any purchase, until 1/7/14, can't be combined with other offers, valid in the US only.

English Laundry Signature Fragrances set (Signature Pour Femme and Signature), 2 vials, each 5mL, retail value $8.70, available HERE.  Full size is 3.4 oz/100mL and retails for $84 (men's) and $90 (women's).  If you purchase this fragrance, you will receive a free bag with any purchase of $75 or more, and free shipping, until 2/23/14, free shipping is US only and excludes Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Andrea Strip Lashes in style #33, full size, retails for $3.99, available HERE.  No discount code this time, sorry! 

Salon Perfect Perfectly Natural lashes in #53, full size, retails for $2.98, available HERE.  No discount code this time, sorry! 

Demeter Snow Perfume Oil Roll on, full size (0.29 fl oz/8.8mL), retails for $10, available HERE.  Discount code ipsy20dfl will get you 20% off of any purchase, until 1/13/14, one time use only, valid only in US and Canada.

Jesse's Girl Julie G Holiday Frosted Gum Drops Nail lacquer in Sugar Plum Fairy, full size (0.35 fl oz), available HERE, retails for $3.99.  Discount code IPSYDEC2013 will get you 20% off your purchase until 1/15/14, free US shipping, international shipping available.

Starilly Nail Polish in Bzzz Buzz, mini size (0.17oz), retails for $5, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 20% off of your purchase, can't be combined with other offers, US and Canada only, shipping based on weight, no end date listed.

December 2013 December Glam Bag

Here's my beautiful December 2013 Ipsy Glam bag, in all it's glory!  I am really happy with what I received this month, and while I might have wanted to try some different items, aside from the god-awful lipstick color, everything I did get will most definitely be used.  To me, that spells SUCCESS! 

Here's a rundown of everything that was sent out by Ipsy this month, just to help you calculate your bag's monetary value.  As always, an item could be worth a fortune, and you hate it, so it has no true value, but the almighty dollar seems to be the way most people judge their bags, so, here we go! 

Be A...Bombshell The One Stick (full size): $16.00
POP Beauty eyeshadow trio (deluxe sample): $7.20
Nyx Extra Creamy Round lipstick (full size): $4.00
J.Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil (full size): $3.99
Ardell Natural Lashes (full size): $3.99
Andrea Strip Lashes (full size): $3.99
Salon Perfect Perfectly Natural lashes (full size): $2.98
Nicka K New York polish (full size): $4.99
Jesse's Girl Julie G Nail lacquer in Sugar Plum Fairy (full size): $3.99
Starilly Nail Polish in Bzzz Buzz (mini size): $5.00
English Laundry Signature Fragrances set (Signature Pour Femme and Signature), (2 vials, each 5mL):$8.70
Demeter Snow Perfume Oil Roll on (full size): $10.00
Mirabella Eye Blender brush (full size): $27.00
Referral Gift:
Beauty blender and blender cleanser (deluxe sample):blender alone is $19.95

Total retail value of MY bag (approx.): $56.13 (without referral gift, $36.14)

My December 2013 Ipsy Look

Sorry about the shadow on my shadow, but here's a closeup of the eyelook, with Starlook's Topaz gem pencil as liner.

Closeup of the lashes

 Here's my unboxing video, for those who like to watch these things, and want to see my Christmas tree :)  If you want to see more of my family and me, a new vlog is uploaded every day on this channel, so subscribe away :)


What's this- you don't subscribe to Ipsy yet?  Well, crawl out from underneath the rock you are living under and head on over there and check them out!  Ipsy is $10 a month (plus $5 if you are in Canada), and gets you 4-5 full size or deluxe sample beauty products in the mail each month, all in a cosmetic bag.   If you would like to sign up, would you consider using my referral link?  I get points towards goodies, and you get good karma, plus a referral code of your very own to share.  Everyone wins!

Until next time, my lovelies- stay Average!

Disclaimer: This video contains products that I purchased with my own money.  I was not asked nor requested by any company to review/unbox these items, and all opinions are true and my own.  No links are referral or paid links, except the Ipsy link.  I totally want the Ipsy points. 

Ipsy (MyGlam) July 2013 Review

I am so excited to share with you, my July Ipsy bag arrived early!  I can't wait to share with you all all the awesome things I received this month!!

The envelope.

I won't even lie- seeing the pretty pink envelope in my mailbox is my favorite mail moment each month.  Even if I peek in my glam room, I still love ripping into my pink packet to see if what Ipsy sent is what I was actually supposed to receive!

July first peek

The first peek into the pink envelope is awesome- I love the suspension! 

July Insert Card: Beach Beauty

This month's theme is Beach Beauty.  As I live at the beach, I have to say, that this theme is right up my alley!  Hot summer nights, sitting in the sun, walks on the boardwalk, and cruising down coastal highway with music blaring...this is MY idea of an awesome time, and beach beauty.  The mermaid on the card is cute too!

The promotions

I love how Ipsy includes the promotions on the card, it's a great way to see at a glance what awesome deals we can get!

July Ipsy bag

I love the bag this month- it definitely says beach to me.  I can put my cell phone, ipod, camera, and whatnot in this, and they will stay dry!  Plus, it's pink, too- what a bonus! It's been fun finding new uses for my bags each month, but I will say, I have found a purpose for each and every one of them.

This month, Ipsy included FIVE awesome items.  Four of them were the same (with minor variations), and the last item was based on the IpsyMatch profile.  I'll begin with the items that everyone received.

Pouty Pop Crayon from Pop Beauty in Coral Crush, 0.1 oz (full size), retail value $4.17; available HERE as a set of six; retail for the set is $25.  Discount code POPLUVSIPSY will get you 20% off your purchase, until 8/6/13, US only, one time only use.  

I love lippies, and this Pouty Pop Crayon is a cute addition to my collection!  I love that it is a twist-up crayon, and not a "sharpen me" crayon.  I always feel like I'm wasting product when I sharpen them! This crayon goes on smoothly, and is super pigmented.  

Swatch of Coral Crush

I have a couple tubes of coral lipstick, but none in this shade.  On me, this has a pinkish coral hue.  I like this shade okay, but I like some of the other shades in this collection better.  Ipsy sent these out in this shade, Coral Crush, as well as Fuchsia Flirt, and Rose Romance.  Out of these three, the Coral Crush is my personal favorite.  My only regret on this crayon is it's staying power- if you rock these crayons, be sure to take them with you for touch ups.
GRADE: 4/5 (great design, poor staying power)

BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow 3 pan Sampler, no weight indicated, Retail value $1.50 (approx); available HERE in eyeshadow and blush palettes retailing at $9.95 (includes 4 blushes and 16 shadows). Discount code IPSY will get you 10% off the California Collection, until 8/31/13.

I love eyeshadow palettes, and have tried BH's eyeshadows before.  The new California collection palettes are adorable, and a great price!  This sample palette is super cute, and even has a magnetic closure.  The California Collection sampler palette contains three (I'm assuming full size) shades, one from each of the palettes: Hollywood (shimmery deep purple), San Francisco (shimmery taupe), and Mailbu (metallic gold).

Swatches of the California Collection Sampler Palette from BH Cosmetics

Hollywood swatched kind of light for me, unfortunatiely, but San Francisco and Malibu swatched very nicely pigmented.  I love these colors, and have been rocking this look for a couple days.  I use the purple on my lids and outer corner, the taupe in my crease, and use the gold as an accent.
GRADE: 4/5 (cute palette, not happy with the pigmentation)

Coola Face SPF 20 Mineral Sunscreen Unscented Moisturizer, .23 fl oz (deluxe sample), retail value $4.87.  Full size is available HERE, $36.00 for 1.7 fl oz. Discount code IPSY will earn you 30% off any purchase, until 7/31/13, US and Canada residents only.

I have fair skin that burns easily, so sunscreen is a must for me.  Coola is a new brand for me, and I was happy to see the unscented and untinted version of this product in my bag.  My tube was sealed when it arrived, but it felt squishy and lightly filled.  I'm not sure if they used larger tubes than necessary or mine was a one-off, but I was sad to see that my tube wasn't full.  I tried this out on the beach today, and it felt great on my face, and I didn't burn.  I love that this is organic and cruelty free!  Ipsy also sent out samples of Coola's Rose Essence Tinted Moisturizer, so that may have been in your bag, instead of this untinted, unscented version.
GRADE: 4/5 (tube wasn't very full but works well)

Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof Humidity Resistant Spray, 1.4 oz (deluxe sample), retail value $7.80.  Full size available HERE, $18.95 for 3.4 oz. Discount code 108723 will earn you $5 off of a purchase of $25 or more of Sexy Hair products, until 8/15/13, one time use only.

This was another item in my bag that was an "either/or".  I would have loved to try the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Conditioning & Texturizing Spray that some members received, but as I live on the east coast (translation: humidity season), humidity-resistant hair products are something that I should really have more of.  I gave this hair spray a try and it did a pretty good job of holding my beachy waves in place, even in this high humidity area.  I don't use a lot of hair spray on the regular, but when I do, I think that this is what I will turn to!
GRADE: 4/5

Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub, 1 oz (deluxe sample size), retail value $16.25.  Full size available HERE; $32.50 for 2 oz.  Discount code IPSY0713 will earn you 20% off of any purchase, until 9/31/13, US residents only.

I've tried out microdermabrasion before, and I loved how it made my skin feel.  Although this isn't the item I would have selected to complete my Ipsy bag, if given the choice, I do know that this is a highly coveted item, and a great one to add to my collection.  Microdermabrasion can improve the appearance of your skin, leaving it fresh and younger looking.  This scrub is cruelty free, paraben free, and 100% vegan, and is made with sea salt and volcanic sand.  Because I have sensitive skin, I have to be careful with products like this, and not use too much pressure, but I love this sample, and want more!
GRADE: 5/5

Ipsy sent out several different items to subscribers as the fifth item in the bags. The other items sent out were a deluxe sample of Benefit's Benetint (2.5mL, retail value $8; available HERE; discount code GLAMBAG gets you a free Hello Gorgeous Trio with any purchase of $35 or more,  until 8/15/13), full size of Demeter's Salt Air Perfume Oil Roll On (.29 fl oz, retail value $10.00; available HERE; discount code IPSYDFL20 earns you 20% off your purchase, until 8/31/13), and a full size Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai (.5 fl oz, retail value $13; available HERE; discount code hot4ipsy gets you 30% off of any purchase, until 8/15/13, continental US only).

Because I had some referrals this past month, I was surprised to see that I had an extra in my July glam bag!

Nicole by OPI, Selena Gomez collection nail lacquer, in the shade Pretty in Plum, 15 mL (full size), available HERE.  Retail value is $6.67.

My tween is a serious Selena Gomez fan, and she was super excited to see this nail polish in my bag, as an extra!  I have to admit, the cute shaped bottle (my husband says it resembles a golf club), and the pretty purple (almost Raven's purple!) made me smile too!

Swatch of Pretty in Plum from Nicole by OPI

OPI polishes usually last a good while for me, but this formula was just ok: my daughter painted her nails in the morning, and by early afternoon she had chipping.  That being said, she had used only one coat, no base and no top coat.  I tried this out, and had chipping the following morning- after painting them at night.
GRADE: 4/5 (great color, nice extra, chipping)

Well, that about sums it up for my July Glam Bag!

My July 2013 Ipsy Glam Bag

It's time for my financial recap, where I review the out of pocket cost, versus the retail value of the items inside.  Are you ready?  I'll include the retail value of the products I DIDN'T receive, too, just in case you are looking to see what the value of your bag is, and received different items than mine.

POP Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon, full size: $4.17
BH Cosmetics California Collection eyeshadow, deluxe sample: $1.50 (approx.)
Coola Mineral Sunscreen and Moisturizer, deluxe sample, both varieties: $4.87
Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof spray, deluxe sample: $7.80
Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray, deluxe sample: $6.84
Derma E Microdermabrasion scrub, deluxe sample: $16.25
Benefit Benetin, deluxe sample: $8
Demeter's Salt Air Perfume Oil Roll On, full size: $10.00
Nailtini Straight Up Color Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai, full size: $13
Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquer in Pretty in Plum, full size: $6.67

Total retail value of *MY* bag: $41.26
Total spent out of pocket: $10.00, shipping included
This month, my bag has one of the highest value, and I am really happy with it! Even if my bag was one of the lower values this month, I would still be really happy because I received items that I really liked and will use.

So, tell me- what was in YOUR glam bag this month?  Did you like what you received?  Leave a comment, and let me know!

Until next time, my friends, stay average!  Oh- and if you haven't already, enter the contest on my blog to win a THREE month sub to a NEW subscription box!

 

Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion, on a product I paid for with my own money my husband's money.  I have not been compensated for this opinion in any way, and it is my honest thoughts on the products listed above.  The referral link in this post is one where I would receive credit for a referral, and be compensated with free product for referring 2 people. Here is a link that just goes to Ipsy, without my referral code. Links to vendor's sites are not referral or compensated links.  I strive for honesty :)