Ipsy September 2014 Glam Bag Unboxing

Ipsy bag - September 2014

At first glance, it seems like Ipsy was really trying to make up this month for their blunders of last month so we got a good selection of products in decent sizes.

Hikari Lipstick in Cabernet - Value: $13 (Full size)

I was excited to see a lipstick, not that I don't own a million already, but because this is a full-sized makeup item that I'm likely to use since the color is a nice deep muted red (at least compared to some of my other reds). It's very moisturizing and somewhat sheer so you can dab it on to your lips for just a "stained" effect if you're not a full blown red lipstick kind of gal. I've never heard of this brand, but hey, that's why I'm signed up to Ipsy so I can try out new makeup.

Pacifica Waterproof Eye Pencil (Fringe) - Value: $5.50 (Deluxe sample)

Let me preface this by saying that there is no makeup that I love more than eye makeup, so if you're going to send me multiple items in a bag with an "eye" theme, I'm the happiest girl. This waterproof eyeliner from Pacifica is a maroon-brown shade (Fringe) and I really have been enjoying using it on my waterline (the waterproof claims are true!)

Crown Brush Crease and Shadow Brush - Value: $6.99 (Full size)

This brush is impressive, the bristles are soft and remind me of my Real Techniques eyeshadow brushes. There is a big difference in quality with this compared to my ELF and Costal Scents brushes. I'm very thrilled to have received this full size item.

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask - Value $5.00 (Deluxe sample)

I love receiving hair masks to try out, it's for dry and damaged hair (that's me!) and has no parabens or phthalate so I'm hoping it works!

LeeAnni  Eco 3-in-1 Revolution Light - Value $3.75 (sample)

This may be a deluxe sample but it's only 0.5oz so I'm going to call it just a regular sample. Supposedly this is a magical toner, serum and moisturizer in one. I can't make any assessment as to whether these claims are true or not since I have yet to use it but it does have a pleasant, fresh lemon verbena scent to it. This is probably the only sample I was pretty "meh" about this month.

This month's bag didn't smell like any weird chemicals, in fact it had no smell at all, and it had a cute faux leather feel and studs (yay!). I think this bag is much more fashion-forward than the 6 year old's pencil case we received last month, so that's a bonus!

Total Value of Ipsy for September 2014: $34.24

While this isn't the highest value I have received for my $10/month subscription, I do thoroughly enjoy 3 of the products in the bag so I consider it a great month.  I love trying out new hair masks and face potions as well so I'll give the other products a whirl during a pamper night in!

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Ipsy August 2014 Glam Bag Unboxing

This is the August Ipsy Glambag I received - I wasn't particularly impressed with anything but all of the items were definitely usable. I received a Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, Klorane Dry Shampoo, Lord & Berry Eye Pencil, Jersey Shore Mongongo Lip Conditioner, and Coastal Scents Forever Blush Sample Duo. 

I like that this month they switched up the shape of the bag, as this one is definitely more spacious and great as a pencil case compared to the usual flat rectangular bags. It's constructed of a fairly stiff plastic material, however, so I could see this breaking after some extended usage.

The Coastal Scents Forever Blush Samples are extremely small but the pigmentation really packs a huge punch. A little of this blush probably goes a very long way and it seems like a worthwhile purchase from Coastal Scents.Value: $1.99

I am a huge fan of Dry Shampoo so this one from Klorane really hits the spot with me since I often cannot carry my full-sized ones in a travel bag (since they are too big for the TSA). This one is the perfect size for traveling.Value: $6.49

I was a little bummed I didn't receive the purple eyeliner from Urban Decay but this new Perversion  Mascara is worth a try. I like the natural brush fibers and the sleek packaging.Value: $5.50

This is a very tiny Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil in Black - This is great for throwing into a small purse when you're on the go and you may need to touch up your waterline. However, I've tried it out and the lasting power isn't great, it's fairly easy to smudge out and rub off.Value: $7.83

I love this Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Anti-aging Lip Conditioner. I can never get enough lip balm and this is the only full sized item in my bag this month. Value: $5.50

Total Value of Ipsy Bag: $27.31 - this is actually on the lower end of the value of bags I have ever received from Ipsy in the past year and a half.

IPSY Unboxing - July 2014 "Sensationally Sunkissed"

This month's Ipsy bag featured a wide variety of products, a quick gloss-over reveals nail polish, sunscreen, hair treatment, lip balm and cream eyeshadow. This is definitely a subscription service for those who are looking to expand their overall beauty collection.

The first item is a full sized Models Own nail polish in "Red Sea" from the Splash Collection. I'm happy with this since it seems to be a full color polish with the added bonus of chunky glitter. Retail value: $8.57 (Full Size)

This month I received another item from Pixi Beauty, a Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm in "Pretty Pink", this is a deluxe sized sample. Retail value: $8.40

I also received a Bare Minerals 5-in-1 BB advanced performance cream eyeshadow in "Divine Wine", this is a deluxe sized sample. Retail value: $5.40

This month's bag contained Marrakesh Split End Mender & Preventer (Retail value: $5.99) as well as Pur-Lisse sunscreen/moisturizer (Retail value: $16.18). Both are deluxe-sized items that I will get use out of as I tend to over-wash my hair and dry it out with various shampoos and hair dyes. The sunscreen is an essential item and it's so small and cute that I will be happy to carry it in my purse or in the car for emergencies!

 I have heard many complaints from various beauty bloggers that they didn't really like the bag this month but to be quite honest, I really do. It's a larger more square-ish configuration than the usual and it has cute lace detailing. Since the bag isn't overly patterned or busy, I think this is the ideal sort of bag for carrying my travel cosmetics.

The value of my July 2014 IPSY bag was $44.54 which is a wonderful value for the $10 I paid. If you want to sign up for your very own IPSY monthly subscription, click here. 

IPSY Glam Bag - Pretty in Paradise - June 2014 Review

The June 2014 IPSY Glam Bag was one I was pleased with. I would say my favorite items were the NYX Butter Gloss (I've been a fan of these for a long time) and the OFRA Universal Eyebrow Pencil. If you want to join IPSY, click here.

I redeemed some points to receive the Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in the color "Light It Up" which is a bright orange shade that I really enjoy. Retail value: $18.00 (FULL SIZE)

The OFRA Universal Eyebrow Pencil truly did work for my medium brown eyebrow color and didn't lean red at all, in fact it seemed to have taupe undertones to cancel the redness out. This is my first experience with an OFRA product and I'm pleasantly surprised! Retail value: $13.00 (FULL SIZE)

The NYX Butter Gloss in "Creme Brulee" is actually a shade I didn't own so this will fit nicely in my collection! It's very sheer, smells like vanilla cupcakes and is perfect to wear over NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream to hydrate your lips. Retail value: $5.00 (FULL SIZE)

I received a Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray - that'll just be added to my already enormous collection of these sprays from various kits I have purchased and my subscription services! Retail value: $2.50

I also received the Realtree Perfume which smells a little bit like citrus candy, it's a little bit strong for my tastes but it's a small size so I'm sure I'll find a use for it. Retail value: $2.00

The last product is my absolute dud of the whole lot. The Be a Bombshell Mascara in "Lash Out" smelled absolutely foul like a mixture between burning rubber and gasoline... it smelled just as bad as the Pop Beauty Plump Pout sample from months ago - and it irritated my eyes, to boot! I couldn't even wear it, I had to immediately wipe it off my eyes and ruin my entire eyeshadow look! I highly discourage anyone from purchasing this product, there must be something chemically wrong with the packaging or the product itself. IPSY has been gracious enough to issue me a replacement item (not sure what yet though). Retail value: $15.00 (FULL SIZE)

I really liked the IPSY Glam Bag this month, the pattern was beautiful as it was designed by Rebecca Minkoff. It felt like "Pretty in Paradise" because of the abstract flowers and pineapples on the bag! This is definitely a cute one I'll keep around!

The total value of my bag was $37.50 but with my redeemed bonus, it shot up to $55.50. 

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IPSY Glam Bag Unboxing - May 2014

 My IPSY Glam bag for this month arrived and I've got a quick run-down of the products and my impressions of them. I've actually had a chance to use the eyeshadows and test them out (as well as show you how they look).

Bag - the recycled spring "Fresh Picks" bag for May 2014 is actually the cutest one I've received thus far from Ipsy. This is one with a pleasant smell and texture (that may sound like strange criteria but some of their previous ones have been very chemically scented and vinyl textured, which isn't my favorite). I have actually started using this bag in my purse to carry touch-up lip products and concealer on the go.

Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask - This has a pleasant Salon-esque smell to it, it leaves my hair feeling softer, more refreshed and I can always use a deep conditioner/mask because I dye my hair frequently and this helps ameliorate some of that damage. Sample value: $4.80

Calvin Klein - Endless Euphoria Perfume - let me just say that perfumes are always the lamest item I can get in my subscription boxes, specifically when the samples are tiny vials in cards. The redeeming quality of this is that it is a rollerball and the scent is quite pleasant, albeit slightly too harsh (and old?) for my taste. I guess this will go in my travel stash for the times I don't care to carry a larger size around. Sample value: $2.23

Jersey Shore Sun - Sans Tan - Mineral Sunscreen - This is not a product I'm excited about but sunscreen is a necessity in my life since I have uber fair skin. This is something I will easily keep in my purse for emergencies where I forget to apply sunscreen and I'm outside this summer. Sample value: $7.50

Avene - Thermal Spring Water - This product is literally water you can spritz out of a can, nothing else added. This is really only good for making your makeup look less cakey if you've applied too much powder, or on a scalding hot day to cool off your skin. Sample value: $9.00

Pacifica - Mineral Eyeshadow Duo #2 (Unicorn and Moonbeam) - I had never tried Pacifica's eyeshadows before (although I am a fan of their scented creams, candles, etc) and I was excited to try these out. Unfortunately, the pigmentation left much to be desired, you really have to rub your brush in there to pick up as much product as you can to pack it on to your eyelid or even to get a swatch. Sample value: $4.00

I really found that the pigmentation was so poor I had to use a black eyeshadow base underneath (I used the black color tattoo but you can also use a creamy eyeliner pencil or cream shadow). The Moonbeam shade (white gold toned) had so much fall out because of the large glitter chunks and it was very powdery, I had to be careful not to lift it off after I had applied it by blending. 

All in all this was a pretty disappointing IPSY bag for me, hopefully next month's is much better. The total value was $27.53 but the selection of products wasn't stellar. It was definitely worth the $10 I paid but I would have rather received more makeup and less skincare and haircare products.

Ipsy Glam Bag Unboxing - April 2014

Here's what I received in my April 2014 Ipsy Bag.

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil - Travel Size - Value $15
dr. brandt Microdermabrasion - Deluxe Sample Size - Value $9.75
Elizabeth Mott Pop! goes the shadow (Champagne) - Full Size - Value $12.99
Mary Kay At Play Jelly Lip Gloss (Teddy Bare) - Full Size - Value $10
Sexy Hair Root Pump Volumizing Spray Mousse - Travel Size - Value $6

Total Value of this my Ipsy April 2014 bag - $53.74

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I definitely received my money's worth and then some, I just wasn't extremely thrilled about the products - it all seemed a little... basic for my taste. I like to experiment with makeup and I have so much that a neutral eyesahdow (although I love the quality, a nude lip gloss, an exfoliator, a black eye pencil and a hair mousse really isn't very thrilling. I can't say I loved the bag but I also didn't dislike it. I'm using it in my purse currently because it's the perfect size for me to store coupons.

I received this Teddy Bare shade of the Mary Kay at Play Jelly Lip Gloss. I am happy this is a full size product but extremely bummed that this nude is a color that completely washes me out. I also didn't like that this product stuck to any dry patches on my lips and really accentuated them, it was also very sticky and thick in consistency. I would not repurchase this lip gloss, especially at the high price of $10!

I was happy to receive an Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in their new Velvet line (color: Black Velvet).  This is a similar size to the travel pencils that they sometimes include in their Book of Shadows (various editions) and other palettes. I have quite a collection of these and was happy to see this one smudged well, clearly being intended for a smokey eye. It's more of a charcoal black rather than a pure dark black due to its intended use. The value of this product was $15.

This was my surprise favorite item in this bag. I have received a couple of other Elizabeth Mott products in the past and also enjoyed them thoroughly (through Ipsy, Glossybox and Birchbox). I'm a fan that I'm always receiving something different from this brand, rather than just the same product sent out in all my subscriptions! Also, this eyeshadow reminds me of Stila's Kitten (which is an amazing compliment). I absolutely love this shade, it's very universal and wearable, super glowy and extremely buttery. This product is worth the $12.99 price tag, I would purchase it and I'm glad that it came in my bag. 

The last 2 products are my absolute duds for this month. I have plenty of exfoliators and although I've heard great reviews of dr. Brandt's products, I just can't seem to get myself hyped about cleansers. It retails for a fortune so even this extremely small sample is valued at $9.75. I also received the BigSexyHair Root Pump Mousse (valued at $6) and this will be an okay product that I can put in my purse if it's very humid out and I really want to control my hair. These two products are the reason why I unsubscribed from Birchbox, I want a purely makeup subscription and not really cleansers and hair products. With that being said, Ipsy usually does the best job of the affordable makeup subscriptions of sending primarily makeup products.

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IPSY Unboxing - March 2014

It's that time of the month again! It's IPSY unbagging time! The theme for this month was "Destination Beauty" and I can't say I was disappointed with the items! Watch my video unboxing below:

My bag contained:
1. bareMinerals - Marvelous Moxie lipstick - Get Ready - small deluxe sample - value $7.50
2. Chella - Eyeliner pen - Indigo blue - full size - value $24.00
3. Pixi - Flawless beauty primer - value $9.00
4. NYX - Love in Rio eyeshadow trio - Moonlit skinny dip - full size - value $6.00

I paid $10 for this bag with shipping included in that price and the total value of my bag was $46.50

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