March 2014 Ipsy Review: Destination Beauty

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Destination Beauty.

What I got:

Nicole by OPI
Roughless

Cost: $10.99

Thoughts: I love this shade and I'm fine with the rough texture of it.

Be a Bombshell
Bora Bora Eyeshadow Quad

Cost: $14.99


Thoughts: I love receiving makeup pallets in my Ipsy bags but I'm not sure about this shade. My eyes are blue/green so eyeshadow colours in that shade don't go so well with my eyes.

bareMinerals
Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Get Ready

Cost: $5.00


Thoughts: I've heard that bareMinerals is a good brand so I was happy to try this. The colour was really nice and it actually lasted for a while. I liked this product.

Klorane
Smoothing and relaxing patches

Cost: $6.00


Thoughts: I know it's hard to see what this is from the picture; sorry about that. Basically, they're under-eye patches. "Dark circles and puffiness are visibly reduced and the eye contour looks fresh and bright. Cool patches in refrigerator before use to increase effectiveness and enhance its refreshing effect."

I was disappointed that we only received two packs. You can't really see a difference with just two patches.

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

I didn't like the look of this bag but at least the contents were pretty decent. I was really disappointed that we only received four products in this bag when normally we receive five. Hopefully we'll get five next month!

Total cost of contents of bag: $36.98

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $22.03

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

January 2014 Ipsy Review: 19 Reasons

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Art of Beauty.

What I got:

Balanced Guru
Balm Me Up Organic Sweet Cocoa & Tangy Body Balm

Cost: $1.50

Thoughts: This is definitely too small of sample to use on my entire body more than once. I use it to moisturize my cuticles. You can also find this size really cheap on ebay.

Absolute!
Makeup Cleansing Tissue

Cost: $2.00


Thoughts: I've never heard of Absolute! before but I'm always a fan of makeup tissues. This one was pretty good.

(Malin+Goetz)
mojito lip balm

Cost: $16.00


Thoughts: I'm always a fan of lip balm. Always. Especially in this weather. But, I think my Blistex is still better than this brand. Especially considering the cost.

Yaby
Natural Finish Liquid Foundation

Cost: $6.79


Thoughts: I actually don't use foundation. At all. I live by my BB cream. So, this wasn't a product that was for me. I might use it on days where my skin has really broken out though.

Benefit
the POREfessional

Cost: $3.00

Thoughts: I don't really see the purpose of this. It covers my pores, great. But, so does my BB cream. It doesn't do anything to eliminate my pores. It just covers them. Too bad I didn't like this product because I really like Benefit.

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

Ipsy, you're starting to disappoint me. I'm really hoping next month's bag will be much better!

Total cost of contents of bag: $29.29

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $14.34

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

December 2013 Ipsy Review: Celebration

*I'm pretty late posting this but I also received this pretty late. It should be noted that I did not like this months Ipsy bag and I traded most of my products with my coworker (who also signs up for Ipsy). I will note with each product if it was traded or not.

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Art of Beauty.

What I got:

Mirabella
Eye Blender Brush

Cost: $27.00

Thoughts: Probably my favourite thing in this bag. I can always go for more brushes and this one is really nice.

Be a Bombshell
The One Stick

Cost: $16.00

Colour: Girl Crush

Thoughts: I recieved this in the colour Flustered which was way too dark for me. I traded it for Girl Crush which is a light pink. I do not like how this looks on my lips. I usually love this brand but this product was not for me.

POP Beauty
Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio

Cost: $5.00

Colour: Smokin' Hot

Thoughts: I received this in Naturally Bare (which is a brown eyeshadow trio) but traded it for this. I love these colours but trying to get this open is such a pain in the ass. I don't know why it's so hard to open, but it is. Not impressed.

J.Cat Beauty
Big Lip Pencil

Cost: $3.99

Colour: Caramel Mocha

Thoughts: I received this in Red Rose and traded it for Caramel Mocha. I don't know why Ipsy thinks I like dark shades for my lips. I don't and I've indicated that on my portfolio. Anyway. This new colour was much better and I really liked this.

Jesse's Girl
Julie G Holiday Frosted Gum Drops
Textured nail polish

Colour: Sugar Plum Fairy

Cost: $3.99

Thoughts: I actually received Nail Color by Nicka K New York in Ripe Apple. It was a really bright red which I would never wear. I was really happy that I was able to trade with my co-worker for this colour. I liked this colour and the texture. It takes a little extra nail polish remover to get it off though.

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

If I hadn't had the opportunity to trade the contents of my bag, I would have been really, really disappointed. I was definitely a bit let down by this bag but after trading, I was pretty happy.

Total cost of contents of bag: $55.98

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $41.03

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

November 2013 Ipsy Review: Glam It Up

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Glam It Up.

What I got:

EM Michelle Phan
Lip Gallery Creamy Lipstick

Colour: Don't Tell Mom

Cost: $16.50

Thoughts: I'm making an effort to wear lipstick so I was excited to get this. I really like this colour. So much so that I wear it on a daily basis. It goes on smooth and stays on for a while.

be a... Bombshell
Lip Crayon

Colour: Hot Damn

Cost: $14.00

Thoughts: I received a Lip Crayon in the past that I really liked. This one? Not so much. The colour does not go well with my pasty skin. Maybe I need to try it with different make up combinations.  

BH Cosmetics
Galaxy Chic Baked Eyeshadow Sample

Colour: Aphrodite

Cost: $3.00

Thoughts: I'm a big fan of this eyeshadow. It goes on well and it stays on almost the entire day (from morning to night). An entire palette is only about $15 which is a great deal!

Nailtini
Nail Polish

Colour: Champagne

Cost: $13.00

Thoughts:I was really happy to get this colour! Thanks to a gel manicure I got a week ago, I haven't had a chance to try it yet. But I will soon!

Pixi Beauty
Bronzer

Colour: Summertime

Cost: $9.00

Thoughts: I was thrilled to get bronzer. I really liked how light the colour of this one was and was happy with how it looked on me. A day after opening it, the powder broke apart into little cubes. Now, when I open it, it makes a big, powdery mess. Which is a huge shame because I really liked this product.

Starlooks

Eye Pencil

Colour: Topaz

Cost: $14.00

Thoughts: I love how creamy this eyeliner is despite the fact that it's a pencil. It looks great over black eyeliner!

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag! (Minus the bronzer.)

At the end of last month's review, I said, "I hope November's will be better!" Ipsy must have listened because it certainly was! This might actually be the best glam bag I've ever gotten! Even though I'm not a fan of the Bombshell Lip Crayon, I plan to try to make it work. These colours are perfect for the New Year!

Total cost of contents of bag: $69.50

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $54.55

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my referral code here!

October 2013 Ipsy Review: Art of Beauty

*Apologies for being a little late with posting this and for skipping September's review. We'll blame it on the fact that I didn't have Internet for a month.

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Art of Beauty.

What I got:

La Fresh
Oil-Free Face Cleanser

Cost: 30 wipes is $9.99. There were only 10 in this which makes this only worth about $3.50

Thoughts: I actually really liked these wipes. They worked well and didn't make me break out. They smelled nice too!

Sexy Hair
Blow Dry Gel
60ml

Cost:$7.95

Thoughts: I felt like this actually did make my hair thicker. My only problem is that I'm really lazy and I hate trying to blow dry my hair straight. I always end up having to using a flat iron after because I did such a poor job. Because of that, I wouldn't buy this. But, I love the brand!

Nourish Organic
Deeply Nourishing Coconut & Argan Body Lotion
30 ml

Cost: $3.00

Thoughts: I hated this. Actually hated. The smell was way too strong! I had to wash it off my hands right away. I tried to pawn the lotion off to someone else but no one else I could find wanted it because of the scent.

Buxom
Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly

Cost: $7.00

Thoughts: Loved this! It stayed on my lips for a long time and it felt great! I don't think the packaging is necessary though. It's a useless manufacturing cost and it just gets thrown out.

Zoya
Nail polish

Colour: Giovanna

Cost: $8.00

Thoughts: I really like Zoya but I was not a fan of this colour. I received green polish in a previous Ipsy bag and I almost never use it. This went on well and didn't chip easily but taking it off was another story. I don't know if this was a function of my nail polish remover or a function of the polish but when I went to take it off, the polish stained my fingers! For the life of me, I couldn't get it off. I ended up having to soak my hands in bleach! I'm definitely not touching this polish again. 

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed with this Ipsy bag. Although I really liked the brands, there are few things in here I just won't use again (the Sexy Hair and the Zoya nail polish). It's also disappointing that I had to throw something out (the hand cream). At least I loved the lip gloss!

Hopefully November's will be better!

Total cost of contents of bag: $29.45

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $14.50

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

July 2013 Ipsy Review: Beach Beauty

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Beach Beauty.

What I got:

Benetint from Benefit
2.5ml

Colour: Rose

Cost: $10.00

Thoughts: I thought it was appropriate to start with the item I was most exited about. First off, Benefit is a really good brand. Second, for a lot of women, the benetint is a must have item. I don't need to make my cheeks any more pink than they already are, but I absolutely love the colour it gives my lips.

Coola
Mineral Face SPF 20 Rose Essence Tinted Moisturizer
7ml

Cost:$5.00

Thoughts: I was so happy to get the tinted moisturizer. The colour is great on my skin and it feels nice as well. The fact that it has SPF in it is even better. I just wish it was a bigger sample.

Big Sexy Hair
Weather Proof Humidity
1.4oz

Cost: $9.00

Thoughts: This coud not have come at a better time! I absolutely need this product in my life right now. I spray it in my hair after flat-ironing it and it makes my hair stay straight, all day! Despite the hot weather!

bh cosmetics
California Collection Eyeshadow Sample

Cost: $2.00

Thoughts: The full sized version of this is only $10, which is a really good deal. I like that we got three different shades, all of which I'll use.

Pouty Pop Crayon

Colour: Rose Romance

Cost: $4.15

Thoughts: I'll be honest; I thought this was lip liner at first. It isn't. It goes on the whole lip. I think it's meant for girls with bigger lips than me. Didn't suit me all that well.

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

Not only is the bag super cute, but I was really impressed with its contents. Even though the crayon didn't suit me all that much, I still plan to use everything in this months bag. I also noticed that the contents of this bag were not valued as high as other months, but it doesn't change my opinion of the qualities of it.

Total cost of bag: $30.15

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $15.20

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

June 2013 Ipsy Review: On the Wild Side

What do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was On the Wild Side.

What I got:

NYX Cream Blush

Colour: Rouge

Cost: $6.00

Thoughts: I'm not a fan of blush (my face is red enough already); I also got blush in my April Ipsy bag, so I was very disappointed to get it again. Although, NYX is a really good brand.

J. Cat Beauty
Sparkling Cream Palette

Cost: $4.49

Thoughts: I've always liked glitter! I'm pretty happy with the colours too, so I'll definitely being using this at some point.

Cailyn Cosmestics
Line-Fix Gel Eyeliner with Brush Built-In

Colour: Black

Cost: $21.00

Thoughts: This is my favourite product in this months Ipsy bag. I haven't tried it yet, and I'll probably make a mess the first time I do, but I'm determined to make this work for me.

Chella
Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil

Cost: $18.00

Thoughts: Since I'm completely clueless with makeup, at first I wasn't sure what this was (at least I'm honest!). I'm a big fan of my eyebrows, and I like trying new things, so this works well for me. Very smooth application as well!

Starlooks Lip Pencil

Colour: Bare

Cost: $12.00

Thoughts: When I wear lipstick, I wear pink lipstick. This colour does not go with my lipstick at all. I probably wont use this at all.

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

The product names in this bag were really good, but unfortunately, most of the products weren't right for me. Some people received dry shampoo and I wish I had gotten that instead. It wont deter me continuing my subscription though. Plus, I love the bag!

Total cost of bag: $61.49

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $46.54

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

May Ipsy Review: Spring Fling

Already got my May Ipsy Glam Bag! Has it been a month since my first review already?

So what do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus shipping for some; $4.95 for me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products which are unique to them and the profile they filled out when they signed up! You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Spring Fling.

What I got:

Zoya Nail Polish

Colour: Jacqueline

Cost: $8.00

Thoughts: I'm not sure how I feel about the colour. I'm glad it's a spring colour, but it's kind of.. plain. I'll use it because it's a good brand, but I'm not a big fan.

Macadamia Natural Oil 
Healing Oil Treatment
1 fl. oz

Cost: $13.50 from ulta.com

Thoughts: Exactly what I need! I was very excited to get this.

St. Tropez Instant Glow Body Lotion

Cost: full size (5 oz): $22.50; since this is 1.69 fl oz, it would retail around $7

Thoughts: I love St. Tropez so I was very excited to get this! Not sure I like that it comes off right away with water, but that's a personal preference.

Juice Beauty lip gloss

Colour: Fig

Cost: $7.00

Thoughts: I was very happy to get a full size tube of lip gloss. I love lipgloss!

Yaby Concealer Refill

Colour: Buff

Cost: $4.85

Thoughts: My current concealer is actually running out, so this came at the perfect time. And the colour is perfect for my skin tone!

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

I was thrilled with this bag! There were 15 different products that I could have received and I actually got everything that I would have wanted. It seems that Ipsy is actually paying attention to the profile that you fill out.  

Total cost of bag: $40.35

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $25.40

Interested in getting your own Ipsy bag? Use my refferal code here!

Linking up for Just Because

April Ipsy: Pretty in Pink - Review

I kept reading about all these fun Glam Bag's and finally decided to sign up for one.

The company I chose to sign up with was Ipsy. Yesterday, I received my first Glam Bag in the mail!

So what do you get when you sign up with Ipsy?

For $10 a month (plus $4.95 a month for shipping to me), subscribers receive a Glam Bag with samples and full-sized beauty products. You don't know what you're getting ahead of time. The only thing you know is that it follows a theme. This month's theme was Pretty in Pink.

What I got:

Sation Nail Lacquer (aka. nail polish)

Colour: Love At First Byte

Cost: can be found on Amazon.com for $5.00

Thoughts: I used the nail polish and I actually liked the colour. It's plain and simple which suits me.

Be a Bombshell Blush

Colour: Sweet Cheeks

Cost: $16 from beabombshellcosmetics.com

Thoughts: I was disappointed to get blush. I don't use blush; my cheeks are red enough as it is. On my Ipsy portfolio, I indicated that I don't want blush, so I'm not sure what the point of filling out the portfolio is.

MicaBeauty Mineral Eyeshadow

Colour: Earth

Cost: $14.95 from MicaBeauty.com (click here for the website and a better picture of the product)

Thoughts: I was happy to get the mineral eye shadow instead of the duo eye shadow (which some people got). I haven't tried it yet but I heard it stays on longer.

Sexy Hair Soy Renewal .85 fl oz

Cost: $12.99 off of eBay (for the .85 fl oz size)

Thoughts: I was hoping to get the other hair product they were giving out this month: Sexy Hair Powder Play

Powder Play is amazing. I've also run out of dry shampoo and could have used Powder Play as an alternative. Fortunately, Ipsy provides subscribers with a discount ($5 off a purchase of $25 or more of Sexy Hair products at ulta.com).

The whole Glam Bag, with the bag!

With the exception of the blush, I was pretty happy with what I got. I know some people didn't like the pink theme but I had no complaints. I'm excited for next month's already!

Total cost of bag: $48.94

How much I paid: $14.95

Savings: $33.99

Score!

Linking up here and here