Unzipped. ipsy Bags #13

Sometimes I can be convinced to go outside.

But not frequently.

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

This month’s theme is all about feeling sexy in your own skin, which I absolutely love! ipsy always sends the most encouraging messages with their bags. So let’s embrace our own beauty and dig in.

Bag #13 (February 2018)

I thought I was going to like this bag a lot more than I did, but I’m not a huge fan of the material. The bag itself is a blush pink, with a wide lace trim and a black lined inside. In person, the bag looks much darker. Maybe even a little on the mauve side.

#1 – Makeup

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk – full size retails for $10 – $20

My journey with dry shampoo continues this month, since ipsy sent me both kinds. I liked this product more than I liked the Oribe. It seemed to work for me better, but I didn’t like the white layer it left on my hair after using.

Ofra Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in ipsy Unzipped (full size) – retails for $20

I really like this lipstick. The color is a gorgeous berry and it’s so comfortable to wear. It dries down matter, but has a very satin-like texture. It was long wearing and didn’t transfer onto my glass when I was drinking. I might pick up a few other shades!

Pacifica Beach Crystals – not for sale per their website

It’s pretty exciting to receive an actual palette in my ipsy bag, even if I’m not totally a fan of the colors in the palette. It was hard to imagine up a complete look, but I did my best. Other then needing more blending, I don’t think it turned out too terrible. The bronze color had a peachy undertone that went well with my Valentine’s Day ensemble, thank goodness! For this look I’m wearing Prism in my crease, Spaced Out in my outer v, Faceted on my lid, and Mars on my inner corner. I thought that these shadows were relatively pigmented and easy enough to build on. There was some fallout from the shimmer shades, but it wasn’t terrible. I probably won’t reach for this palette again, but it was nice to try out.

Luna by Luna Cosmetics Baked Highlighter in Electra (full size, x2) – retails for $23

I received two of this product in the same shade, which isn’t too terrible considering I’ve already dropped and broken one of them (face palm). This highlight has a super subtle peachy shimmer to it that’s really pretty without being totally in your face. It conveniently worked really well with the eye look I created.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Light (x2) – full size retails for $24

I had to go back through with more foundation to blend in this concealer, because it is POWERFUL! Less is definitely more. It’s thicker, and a little sticky, so applying it with a brush is probably challenging. I used a beauty blender and didn’t have any issues. It hid my dark circles and acne, so obviously it’s a miracle worker. I’m actually kind of excited to get to work with it a little bit more and try to master its use.

Bag #2 – Skin/Haircare

Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo – full size retails for $12

I liked this dry shampoo even MORE than I liked the Klorane! I felt the most comfortable I’ve ever felt with unwashed hair after using this product. It didn’t leave behind a white layer after spraying, and it had a very light perfumey scent that I really liked. I think I may have found my unicorn dry shampoo 🙂

Luxie Beauty Blending and Shading Eye Brush 249 (full size) – not for sale per their website

Double sided brushes are kind of neat. I like that this brush could technically be an all-in-one for quick looks. It has a tapered end for packing shadows on the lid, and a fluffy end for blending. And who doesn’t love rose gold? Gorgeous! The one thing I’m not certain of is how I’m going to be storing this beauty. Ideas?

APTO Skincare Moisture Retaining Day Lotion – full size retails for $45 (!!!!!)

I’m in love with this day cream (as I should be.. did you see that retail value!?). It has a satin-like texture and leaves my face feeling super soft, without the terrible sticky feeling that some other creams can give you. It’s really comfortable to wear and dried down fast. It’s really awesome, because it’s formulated to help reduce redness for those of us with sensitive skin. It also can be used to treat dark circles, for those of us who don’t get nearly enough sleep. I fall into both categories.

The verdict:

I rate bag #1 a 2 out of 5 stars. The products that I really loved were the concealer and lipstick. I need another highlighter like I need a hole in the head, and the shadows weren’t colors that I typically like to work with. The dry shampoo was great, but I preferred the one from my second bag just a little bit better.

I rate bag #2 a 4 out of 5 stars. The dry shampoo, day cream, and brush really set it apart for me! This is my last month with two bags before I go back to one! I’ll miss getting all of the skincare items from my second bag, but I’m excited to try a new subscription in its place! (Birchbox)

And here’s the Valentine’s Day look that I came up with using both bags!