I started receiving ipsy bags a short while ago. Mostly because my little sister was starting to get big into makeup and I thought it would be a fun way to bond. I used to be a strictly black eyeliner and mascara girl. The bare minimum. My sister taught me how to apply foundation (I know, what kind of person doesn’t know about foundation?) as well as blush and highlighter. Very basic, but I already loved it. So now I find myself in the position of excitedly awaiting my ipsy bags every month!
Here’s how ipsy works:
ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription. Each month you recieve a themed makeup bag stuffed with five (mostly sample sized) products. I can’t emphasize enough that they are sample sized, although at least one item will be full sized. It’s a “try before you buy” type of subscription, and a generally fun way to find new things that you love (or hate). Every person’s bag is a different variation based off of the style quiz they complete upon signing up. That means you probably won’t get the same thing as your friends, which is pretty cool!
The cost is $10/month or $110 for a year.
Ready to take the plunge? Use my referral link —> ipsy
So here we go! I hope you enjoy seeing what I have received and reading my thought process on the products.
Bag #1 (February 2017)
The February glam bag was really cute. I liked the denim idea, but it was really small. It barely holds four of my highlighters. The bag itself is soft, and it comes with a neon orange lip shaped zipper tab as well as the same color lining on the inside.
The Organic Pharmacy Lip and Eye Cream
I never used to be a fan of skin care items, but I’m finding more and more these days that a lot of full sized products are SUPER expensive. So I’ve actually welcomed some skin product samples because it is really helping me to figure out what I love and hate before I spend a fortune on it. For instance, this product I did not like.
From what ipsy tells me, the skin around my eyes and lips is very delicate. This cream was supposed to both decrease puffiness, dark circles and lines around my eyes and also hydrate and make my lips look plump and moist. But I had some questions, like where do I apply it? Around my lips? On my lips? Since it’s a sample size it didn’t come with any instructions. I decided to try both.
It left the area around my eyes and lips looking very greasy. I did not like that at all. Also, it just kind of sat on top of my lips. And once it did absorb, nothing felt different. It didn’t even seem to do the work of a cheap chapstick. I was not impressed.
LAW Beauty Essentials Nail Polish in Leave a Text
Receiving nail polish in my bag is kind of an “eh” moment for me. I don’t ever paint my own nails. I’m rubbish at it. And I can’t decide if it’s especially “eh” that I got the grey color and not the blue or mauve. Part of me thinks that maybe I’ll use a muted color more often and another part of me is like, but it’s grey.. haha.
It goes on very nicely. It’s not at all streaky. I can’t adequately judge the longevity of the polish because I am a terrible nail biter and unless my manicures are gel they never ever last that long. But that’s no fault of the polish. It looked great and had a moderate amount of shine after only two coats. It didn’t dry very fast, in my opinion.
Elizabeth Mott Whatup Beaches Matte Bronzer
I mean, come on. That product name is amazing, haha.
Okay, now this is exciting. I’m never contoured or used bronzer before. I always kind of considered that an advanced technique that was far out of my reach. Shade-wise it’s a very light brown. Which is probably for the best, because I am very fair skinned. I won’t submit you to a picture of myself trying to contour for the very first time, but I will show you a swatch on my arm. Hopefully by the time I receive bronzer again I’ll be more practiced.
Okay, now this is exciting. I’m never contoured or used bronzer before. I always kind of considered that an advanced technique that was far out of my reach. Shade-wise it’s a very light brown. Which is probably for the best, because I am very fair skinned. I won’t submit you to a picture of myself trying to contour for the very first time, but I will show you a swatch on my arm. Hopefully by the time I receive bronzer again I’ll be more practiced.
Luxie Beauty Rose Gold Blush Brush 514
Wow, this brush handle is so pretty! I love receiving brushes like this to add to my eclectic collection. It’s super soft, but very big. I like more of an angled brush for my blushes, but I’m still happy to have received this.
Biobelle #StayGorgeous and #iwokeuplikethis Sheet Masks
I’ve never used a sheet mask before. For some reason that feels embarrassing to admit. I decided to try out #iwokeuplikethis because it promised an enhanced natural glow and smelled like wild rose. Pulling it out of the package made it immediately obvious that it was packed with moisture. I actually spilled a lot of it.. all over myself on accident. Live and learn. It went on smoothly. Like ipsy described, they’re made of tensel and go on like a second skin. Naturally it was a little too big for my face, but I was able to mold it so that I had good coverage. I was a little concerned about terrifying my husband, so I stayed in the bathroom the entire time. Immediately after removing the mask and wiping off my face I felt a little sticky, but within minutes my face was very soft. On the unfortunate side, I seem to have broken out all along my forehead since using the mask. I can’t obviously blame it on the mask for sure, but I don’t think the payoff will be worth me trying another one.
My rating: 3/5 stars.
I love the brush and the prospect of learning to use bronzer excites me. I’m even alright with using the face masks here and there. I’m not thrilled with the nail polish or the cream though.
Bag #2 (March 2017)
This bag is so cute. I love the soft pink color and the netting design. Best of all, it’s actually huge! The top unfolds and you can use the bag to its fullest potential. The zipper tab is rose gold, and the inside of the bag is the same blush color as the outside. I have zero complaints!
Elizabeth Mott Blending Brush
Another cute brush for my collection. The mint handle is totally adorable and the brush is very soft. It does a great job at blending, even if I’m not terribly practiced at it myself.
tarte tarteist quick dry matte lip paint in rosé
I ended up getting my lip paint in rosé, which is the color I really wanted. Although, a red like vibin would have been cool too. I’m not really into nude colors, so I’d have been really sad if I got delish. ANYWAY! I LOVE liquid lipsticks, so this was an exciting pick for me. Not to mention, tarte is one of my absolute favorite brands. I like the applicator a lot. It made applying the lipstick really precise. It had a matte finish, but without the drying feel, which was surprising and awesome.
Marc Anthony True Professional Deep Repair Aloe Vera & Jasmine Oil Deep Repairing Conditioning Treatment
This hair mask smelled amazing, but I’m not quite sure it really did anything for my hair. I used it once a week, and tried to let it sit for five to seven minutes (approximately, but let’s be honest.. I’m a busy woman). I don’t know. It really didn’t wow me. I didn’t notice any sort of real difference in my hair after using it.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer
I will forever be in search of the perfect moisturizer for me. So, that being said, I welcome these types of samples every month. This specific sample was particularly exciting because it was made for people with sensitive skin (me!). However, I found that this product left my face feeling sticky for a long while before it would finally absorb, which was unpleasant, but when it did absorb my face felt really soft. Like, I can’t stop touching it kind of soft. I don’t know if I can stand how long it takes to absorb though. I’ll keep this in my back pocket as I continue my search.
DOUCCE Freematic Eyeshadow in Marisa
I’m so in love with this color. I like the sparkle, and I think the idea of using this as a liner is way cool. It’s packed with pigment (swatched below), but be careful if you’re applying it as a shadow after you’ve already done your foundation. I experienced a lot of fallout. I look forward to becoming better at applying eyeshadow so that some day I can swatch these products on my eyes for you as opposed to just my arm!
My rating: 4/5 stars.
I love the shadow, lipstick, and the brush. I’ll continue to use the moisturizer, even if I’m not entirely sure I love it. The hair mask I could do without, but it was a fun experience!
Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! 🙂
– Tia
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