Enjoying the sights in San Diego!
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How does ipsy work?
Type of subscription: beauty
Frequency: monthly
Product size: sample, although most people will receive at least one full sized item
Amount of products received: 5, always
Cost: $10/month or $110/year
Each month you recieve a themed makeup bag stuffed with products. 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!
Ready to take the plunge? Sign up here —> ipsy
I pay for this subscription.
The theme for the month of October is “who says nights are for sleep?”, which is a little saucey if you ask me, haha. Jokes aside, per usual this month’s theme is very Halloween-esque.
The bag this month is a bright red color with a masquerade mask stamped on the front. It doesn’t get much more Halloween than that. The inside lining and zipper tab are black.
111SKIN Space Defense Bright Eye Lift Gel – full size retail $190!!!!!
Um, holy cow! This is probably the most expensive sample that I’ve ever received from ipsy. When I first tried this product I wasn’t expecting to see immediate results, as with most skincare, but I could actually feel it working. After I applied it I could feel a tightening sensation. This product was made to get rid of dark circles, fine lines, and puffiness. Ideal for a night shift worker like myself who suffers from all of the above. I’ll never be able to afford a full size of this item, but I’m definitely going to enjoy this sample while it lasts!
theBalm Cosmetics Take Home the Bronze in “Oliver” – full size retail $17.50 (on sale for $8.75!)
I love receiving bronzer, so I was really excited to see this in my bag. The tagline for this bronzer is that it will give you a sun kissed look that is never orange. The shade Oliver is perfect for someone with as pale of a complexion as myself. I love that this product is matte, because that means that it can be used for contouring. theBalm bronzers are cruelty free and vegan friendly. The only complaint that I have about theBalm products is that they’re often very small and difficult to pick up with a brush. The packaging is always adorable though!
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Liquid Foundation in “R230 – Ivory” – full sizes retail $43
It’s funny that I received a sample of this in my bag, because it’s my favorite foundation and I already use it whenever I do my makeup. So, naturally, I only have nice things to say about it. This foundation is medium coverage and super lightweight. I have combination skin. Namely, dryness around my nose and chin and oiliness in my T-zone. This foundation covers everything and stays in place all day. There are 40 shades in total to choose from assuring that you’ll find one that matches your unique skin tone.
Oribe Hair Care Dry Texturizing Spray – full size retail $46
I don’t use a lot of hair products, so it’s always fun to receive something new to play with. Do I know what a dry texturizing spray is? Not really. I did a bit of research and what I learned is: it’s not a dry shampoo, but it is a dry shampoo. So that cleared things up, haha. It’s made to soak up oil and add volume. The only way to really figure this out was to try it out myself! First, it smells amazing! It certainly worked like dry shampoo, but also added a stiffness kind of like a hairspray? I think it’s a dry shampoo/hairspray hybrid.. I’m still a little confused, but I’ll keep working on it! I especially liked that this product didn’t leave any residue after spraying.
P.R.M.I.T Beauty GELlusion in “Pink Cream” (full size!) – this particular color is an ipsy exclusive, but you can find others at this link for $11
I’m excited to receive a nail polish, because I’m really getting into nail care recently. This polish is a beautiful and feminine light pink. I received a lot of compliments on it! It’s a gel-like polish that promises a chip free mani. In my experience, this polish dried SUPER quickly. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it as opaque as advertised. I thought it was kind of streaky and took at least three coats until I was happy with the color. I can see how with a top coat this polish might last a while. It was probably 2 days before I experienced a chip, and that’s without a top coat. I’m not particularly careful with my nails, so this really says a lot about the longevity of this polish. This brand of polish is PETA certified.
The verdict: the value of this bag is AMAZING! There wasn’t really a single miss for me, which is miraculous. Five stars! Even though I had no idea how to use the texturizing spray I was still happy to have it. I already knew that I loved the foundation, and I was shocked to see such a high end skincare product in my bag. I love receiving bronzers and I’m really into nail polishes these days. Next month is my birth month and I can’t wait to see what it brings!
Here is a look that I put together using this month’s products:
Thanks for reading!
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