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.

Ipsy (MyGlam) Review- January 2014- Plus YouTube Giveaway!

Hello, my lovelies!  I'm sorry it's taken me a bit to write this, but with weather, youth rally, illness, cookies and a home from school holiday, it's been difficult for me to find quiet time to get my thoughts out through the keyboard.  It's very hard for me to write with everyone home- the general noisiness of the family is louder than the voice in my head, and I apologize.  

My Ipsy bag arrived last week, and I would love to share my thoughts and review with you all!  

Ipsy is a beauty subscription service, where you are sent 4-5 deluxe sample or full sized items each month, for $10 (US subscribers), or $14.95 (Canadian subscribers).  If you would like to subscribe, and want to send some love my way, please consider using my referral link- and thank you to all who have used it- I get Ipsy points to redeem for extras, and you get some good karma along with my love and devotion. 

The Mailer

I always look forward to getting that pink mailer in my mailbox each month- and was so surprised when I DIDN'T get one this month!  It took me a moment to realize that this was my Ipsy bag- and my thoughts were along the lines of Holy Cow- what could be in there that's SO big, it needed this huge of an envelope?!

First Peek

Ooh- I spy some neat things...and no spillage, so that's always a plus!

The Bag

The bag this month is a pretty aqua color, with shadows of cleansers and other products on it.  Not my favorite bag, but this would make a great travel skin care bag as I would instantly know the contents just by looking at it!  I will say, my bag STINKS. Not in the figurative sense, but the literal.  It smells like a plastic pool toy.  I've given it a few days to air out, and the scent has faded, but it gave me a massive headache when I had just opened it up. "Plastic pool toy" is not a scent that screams "luxury", to be sure.

Insert Card

This month's theme is "19 Reasons 2014 will be Amazing". It's a cute theme, and I love that there is a space for me to write in my reason.  The card also lists 19 of the 20 brands that were included in the bags this month.

Ipsy's Contest

On the back of the insert card, is the description of the contest that Ipsy is running on Facebook and Instagram.  It looks like anyone who has this card can enter, so good luck!

Coastal Scents Small Foundation Brush, full size, retails for $4.95; available HERE. Discount code 25off will get you 25% off any purchase, until 2/28/14, no rain checks, cannot be combined with other offers.

Oh. My. Gosh.  Ipsy FINALLY figured out that I want brushes!  I crave brushes.  I have a TON of brushes.  And yet I want MORE.  I have lots of friends who need brushes, along with makeup hand me downs (what?  It's a real thing, I swear.), so it's always great to try out a new brand or style.  For a brush called the "small foundation brush", it is actually quite sizeable.  The Coastal Scents foundation brush is very sturdy, with soft yet firm bristles and works well to apply my foundation.  I'm pretty happy with it, and it is on par with my BH Cosmetics foundation brush.  I look forward to trying more of this line!

GRADE: 5/5 (yay brush! brushy brush brush!!!)

Apothederm Bright Skin Serum, deluxe sample size (0.14 oz/4.1 ml), retail value approx. $9.23; full size is 1 oz/30 ml, and retails for $67.50, available HERE.  Discount code 30IPSY will get you 30% off any purchase plus a free purse mirror, until 2/28/14, one time use only, US only, can’t be combined with other offers, mirror is automatically added.

I was intrigued when I saw that I was getting the Bright Skin serum in my bag, as it is from Apothederm's acne line.  I don't get massive breakouts, but I am prone to hormonal acne and allergy-induced breakouts.  This serum is in a pump tube with cap, and is milky white in color. I gave this a try, and had a difficult time getting the product out of the packaging.  Once I did get the serum onto the back of my hand and then applied to my face, I found my skin to be slightly sticky, even after the serum dried.  All of these things would be worth it if it helped prevent a breakout, right?  I have to tell you, that I did have a slight breakout forming, and that this serum stopped it in its tracks.  I wasn't expecting this to work as well as it did, and was pleasantly surprised.  I am not fond of the packaging (a squeeze tube might work better), but I am very happy with the results (if not the slightly sticky skin).  

GRADE: 4/5 (worked well, not the easiest product to use)

MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm, deluxe sample size (0.88 oz/2.5 g), retails value approx. $18.75; full size is 0/14 oz/4 g and retails for $30.00; includes brush.  Sent in Natural and Fiesta; I received Fiesta; available HERE.  Discount code IPSY45 will get you 45% off any purchase until 2/28/14, unlimited uses, US only.

I have loved the MicaBeauty products that I have received in the past, and had high hopes for the lip balm.  When I first swatched this, I was amazed at how highly pigmented the balm was.  I've never tried a tinted lip balm and was thinking that this would be somewhere in the range of a slightly tinted chapstick style product.  Boy, was I wrong!  This sucker is super pigmented! 

Swatch of MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm in Fiesta.  Sorry it's blurry, but the color is pretty accurate.

 This pretty pink balm goes on smoothly, and will definitely tint your lips a pretty matte pink!  Unfortunately, I found this balm to be a shade drying, and it didn't give my lips an even color- the inside area of my lips was a different shade than the outside of my lips.  I will say that the balm was long lasting for me, so that's definitely a plus.  I might use this as a base for an ombre style lip, but this was a slight miss for me.

GRADE: 3/5 (super pigmented, but drying)

Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissue, travel size (10 tissues), retails for $2.49.  I received these in Pomegranate Extract, also sent in Cucumber, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY will get you 30% off any purchase until 2/10/14, cannot be combined with other offers, US only, free shipping on orders over $50.

I was excited to be getting these wipes in my bag, mostly because I haven't really found my "go to" makeup remover wipe.  At first, I really liked the scent of these, but after I used them, I thought they were too sweet smelling.  I think the wipes smell like a girly alcoholic drink, which is a shame, because I really like pomegranate.  The wipes did a good job of removing my makeup, though, so I'll definitely keep an eye out for them in a different scent.  My skin felt clean and fresh, as opposed to oily or greasy, as other wipes have tended to do for me.  I love that these wipes have low levels of parabens- only one ingredient was in the paraben family, and it was the second to last ingredient.  Parabens are a double edged sword- they prevent bacterial growth, but are suspected of being a carcinogen.
GRADE: 4/5 (work well, but don't care for the scent)  

Yaby Liquid Foundation, full size (0.272 fl oz/8 ml) retails for $13.99; sent in the shade Buff.  Available HERE.  Discount code 201401IPSY20 will get you 20% off of any Yaby purchase, until 1/31/14, Canadian customers are asked to visit blurmakeuproom.com and use the same code for the same discount.

Yaby is a brand that Ipsy has worked with before, and I've received both eye shadow and concealer from Yaby before.  I gave the foundation a try and was pretty pleased with it.  The bottle has a removable tip on it, so you can add a different shade to mix the perfect color for you.  This is an awesome feature, and one that other foundation companies should consider doing.  The foundation has a medium/light coverage, and is an acceptable match for my skin.  It's a tad darker, so once summer hits and I actually venture outside once again into the sun, and it will likely match my skin then.

Swatch of Yaby concealer in Buff (out of the tube on the left, blended in on the right)

I tried this foundation for 3 days in a row, and it did not break me out, which is a rare thing.  If you have sensitive skin and are looking for a new foundation, this one is definitely worth a try.  The shade buff is a neutral light beige, leaning just a shade yellow.  Yaby offers their concealer in a multitude of shades, including color correcting shades and a white base (to lighten up a darker foundation).
GRADE 5/5 (nice product, and I don't break out!)

KISS Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit, full size, retails for $9.99, available HERE.  No discount code available, sorry!

I love me some nail art, and yet have less than no artistic ability.  It's a curse, really.  When I saw that I could redeem my Ipsy points for this set, I jumped at the chance.  The Nail Art starter kit includes 3 brushes, a dotting tool, gems, nail stickers, striping tape, and glitter. 

Contents of the Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit

I've tried out the brushes and dotting tool, and they aren't the highest quality, but they do get the job done.  I added the other pieces to my nail art box, and will definitely get my use out of them.  This is one of my favorite referral gifts, and thank you to all who have used me as a referral!

Ipsy sent out items from 20 different brands this month, and as I only received 5 items in my bag (plus my referral gift), I thought I would list the other items that were sent, along with their corresponding discount codes.  Here is what I didn't receive, but you might have.  Sizes are taken from Ipsy's website, and if they are incorrect, I apologize.  I've included pictures of what I've been able to photograph.  If you aren't interested in the other items, just scroll on down to the picture of my bag, for my final thoughts.

Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional, deluxe sample size (3.0 ml), retail value $4.09; full size is 0.75 US fl oz/22.0 ml, and retails for $30.00; available HERE; discount code JANGLAM will get you a free Coral My World deluxe mini set with any order until 2/15/14, cannot be combined with other offers, not valid on Nice Package custom sets, online only, while supplies last.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair deep conditioning mask, deluxe sample size (1.0 oz), retail value $4.95; full size is 5.25 oz, and retails for $26; available HERE.  Discount code IPSYJAN14 will get you 20% off any purchase, until 2/15/14, one time use only, cannot be combined with other offers, US only.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow, deluxe sample size (0.7g), retail value approx. $7.00; full size is 1.5 g/0.05 oz, and retails for $14.99; sent in the shades Penny and Pearl; available HERE; discount code IPSYSMOOTH will get you a free Raven pencil with every item purchased, until 2/30/14, pencils automatically added, limit 3 free pencils per customer, free shipping on orders over $25, valid in US and Canada only,

MALIN + GOETZ Mojito Lip Balm, full size (0.35 oz/10g), retails for $12.00; available HERE; no discount code available, sorry!

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion, deluxe sample size (0.5 oz), retail value $6.47; full size is 1.7 oz/50 ml, and retails for $21.99, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY30 will get you 30% off facial products, until 2/15/14, cannot be combined with other offers, valid in US and Canada only, Free shipping on orders over $50 (US) and $100 (Canada).

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo, deluxe sample size (0.10 oz/3 g), retail value $0.88; full size is 2.65 oz/75 g, and retails for $22.00; available HERE.  Discount code IPSY20 will get you 20% off any purchase and free shipping until 2/28/14, cannot be combined with other offers, valid in US only, subject to change.

Balanced Guru Balm Me Up Organic Sweet Cocoa & Tangy Body Balm, deluxe sample size (1 oz/30 ml), retail value $11.24; full size is 4 oz/114 g, and retails for $45.00; available HERE.  Discount code ipsy20 will get you 20% off of any purchase, until 2/28/14, cannot be combined with other offers, free shipping on orders over $75 after discount, valid in US only.

Epice Purifying Exfoliant deluxe sample size (1 oz/28 g), retail value $9.70; full size is 3.3 oz/100 ml, and retails for $32.00; available HERE.  Receive a free Epice Hydrating Facial Cleanser  with any Purifying Exfoliant purchase, until 2/15/14, one time use only, cannot be combined, valid only in US and Canada, $5.95 shipping cost.

Faith Aromatherapy Tahitian Monoi Anti-Aging Sugar Scrub, deluxe sample size (1 oz/29.5 ml), retail value $1.50; full size is 12 oz/350 ml, and retails for $17.99; available HERE.   Discount code ipsy will get you 50% off any purchase and free shipping, until 4/10/14, cannot be combined with other offers, valid only in the US and Canada.

LeeAnni Eco 3 in 1 Revolution deluxe sample size (0.35 oz), retail value $0.87; full size is 4.0 fl oz, and retails for $29.98; available HERE.   Discount code ipsy will get you 15% off of any purchase, until 2/15/14, valid only in the US, $5 flat shipping rate.

Marula Pure Marula Facial Oil, deluxe sample size (2 ml), retail value $3.12; full size is 50 ml/1.69 fl oz, and retails for $78.00; available HERE.  Discount code IPSYlovesMARULA will get you 20% off  the 50 ml Pure Marula Facial Oil, until 2/15/14, valid only in the US.

Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads, deluxe sample size (4 pads), retail value $13.30; full size is 15 pads, and retails for $49.99; available HERE.  No discount code this month, sorry!

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner, travel size (1.7 fl oz/50 ml), retails for $6.00; full size is 8.5 fl oz/250 ml, and retails for $17.95; available HERE.  Discount code 108723 will get you $5 off a $25 or more purchase of Sexy Hair products, until 2/15/14, cannot be combined with other offers, one per customer, some exclusions may apply.

Skiin Soothing and Smoothing Eye Cream, deluxe sample size (0.25 oz/7.5 g), retail value $14.98; full size is 0.5 oz/15 g, and retails for $29.95, available HERE.  Discount code IPSY30 will get you 30% off any purchase until 2/25/14, valid only in the US, shipping cost is $5.95.

Willa On the Go Face Towelettes in lavender, full size (10 wipes), retail value $4.50.

Available HERE; discount code IPSY will get you 30% off any purchase, until 2/15/14, cannot be combined with other offers, shipping is $7.50 for US orders under $50 and $15 on Canadian orders.

My Ipsy January 2014 Glam Bag

Here is the financial recap for the January bag:

First, I'll list the items available and their approximate retail value.

Coastal Scents Small Foundation Brush (full size)  $4.95

Apothederm Bright Skin Serum (deluxe sample) $9.23

MicaBeauty Tinted Lip Balm (deluxe sample) $18.75

Absolute! Makeup Cleansing Tissue (travel size) $2.49

Yaby Liquid Foundation (full size) $13.99

Benefit Cosmetics The Porefessional (deluxe sample) $4.09

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair deep conditioning mask (deluxe sample) $4.95

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow (deluxe sample) $7.00

MALIN + GOETZ Mojito Lip Balm (full size) $12.00

Nourish Organic Lightweight Moisturizing Face Lotion (deluxe sample) $6.47

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo (deluxe sample) $0.88

Balanced Guru Balm Me Up Body Balm (deluxe sample) $11.24

Epice Exfoliant (deluxe sample size)  $9.70

Faith Aromatherapy Sugar Scrub (deluxe sample size) $1.50

LeeAnni Eco 3 in 1 Revolution (deluxe sample size) $0.87

Marula Pure Marula Facial Oil (deluxe sample size $3.12

Proactiv+ Mark Fading Pads (deluxe sample size) $13.30

Healthy Sexy Hair Leave In Conditioner(travel size) $6.00

Skiin Soothing and Smoothing Eye Cream (deluxe sample size) $14.98

Willa On the Go Face Towelettes (full size) $4.50

 (Referral Gift) KISS Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit (full size) $9.99

Here's what MY bag was worth, in regards to retail dollars.  Actual value is dependent on how much you like the things you received, and if you would actually use them.

Total retail value of my bag (approx.): $59.40  (without referral gift, $49.41)

All in all, this bag was okay for me.  I liked trying new products, but there was no real stand out awesome find for me, in my bag.  I will definitely be keeping Ipsy around, have no fear- and I’m happy to have gotten to try everything that I received (and yay for a brush!!!). 

As promised, I’m giving away a full size Benefit Cosmetics Benetint on my YouTube channel.  The giveaway is open until January 30, 2014, and can be seen on my Ipsy January unboxing video here:

Good luck my friends- the entry rules are in the description box :)

 

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.