February 2017 Ipsy Subscription Review

Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate in any way just one beauty junkie to another.


So this month we got a denim and orange bag. Not really my taste and it s a very fake cheap denim feel but I appreciate the attempts at being unique, and Ipsy branching out with the bag styles and materials.

This month I even got a bonus product I got 6 items instead of the usual 5, I love when that happens it usually only happens like once or twice a year and usually only with sheet masks

Absolute New York Nano Liner in Black

Full Size: 1 ml

Full Size Cost: $8.49

Sample Size: 1 ml

Value: $8.49

I really like this liner. It is a very fine tip liner. It doesn’t dry down completely matte it still has a little gloss to it but is water resistant and doesn’t crumble or bleed on me. Swatched below.

Luna by Luna Cosmetics Highlighter in Calypso

Full Size: 3 g

Full Size Cost: $23

Sample Size: 3 g

Value: $23

This is very pretty but damn this is expensive for not a lot of product this $23 for 3 g or $7.67 a gram compare that to say a Becca highlighter that will run you $38 for 8 g or $4.75 a gram this highlighter is a little under double that cost that is ridiculous. That being said it is gorgeous I could see this also doubling as an amazing eyeshadow. This is a nice cool toned almost taupe shimmer highlight. There is some glitter in it but much less them most of the other highlighters I own. It catches the light really well. Swatched Below.

NYX Butter Lipstick in BLS24 Ripe Berry

Full Size: 4.5 g

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Sample Size: 4.5 g

Value: $5.99

This is picking up very pink on camera but it is a very red berry tone in person.  People love NYX butter lipsticks. I prefer their matte lipsticks because I prefer mattes in general but these are a lovely formula and I probably will keep this. I find the deeper shades of these to leave a little stain on the lips so there is something left behind when they wear off but the stain isn’t always even so that can be good or bad depending on how it wears that day.

Swatches with Flash:

Like look at that highlight! (Still $23 fucking dollars I would never but hey for the $10 I spent on the bag great deal)

Swatches without Flash:

SOO AE Purifying Black Charcoal Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $2.5

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $2.5

Hey charcoal one of my favorite skincare items! Always happy for some more sheet masks though I have a giant stockpile to work through. I use sheet masks more in the summer because I hate being cold and they always feel too cold on my face in the winter.

SOO AE Nature Green Tea Sheet Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $1.24

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $1.24

I don’t actually like green tea masks but again who is really gona complain about a sheet mask. Especially when it is sort of a bonus.

Luxie Brush 514 Blush

Full Size: Yes

Value: $18

I love Luxie Brushes but not enough to actually spend money on them. Thanks to Ipsy though I am slowly growing a pretty decent collection of Luxie brushes. They are so super soft with synthetic bristles. The only thing is with their face brushes I feel like they are not quite densely packed enough or maybe the bristles are two long I don’t know but they always feel just a tad to flimsy and light on my face when I am using them.


I am much happier with this months bag then lasts months bag. I feel like the products actually go together. Also I got ALL FULL SIZE products you really can’t beat that.  I will actually use all of the products. I always think Ipsy is worth it even when you get a dud month because usually the bags are really good. They do get better the more you review but the old reviewing system was definitely better and let you express how you felt in more detail with the longer survey about each product.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $59.22

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 6

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 0

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

January 2017 Ipsy Subscription Review

Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate in any way just one beauty junkie to another.


Spoiler Alert: I wasn’t overly thrilled with this months bag. Both the products and the bag itself.

The bag itself was some what weird this month. I applaud Ipsy for doinging something different and always trying to bring out new and interesting bags but this was weird.

Its a grey bag covered by a blue mesh. It looks so much like a shirt some cheesy 90s popstar would have worn back in the day. The material on this also feels cheap like it would tear easily and get snagged on things if you threw this in another bag.

Beauté Basics C405 Contouring Brush

Full Size: yes

Full Size Cost: $7.49

As I’m sure you guys know already I’m about to be really picky since this was a weird product in my opinion and here’s why.  So Crown Brushes for those of you who don’t know do something that is called private labeling where they will make brushes for another company and put the company’s name on it. Now that’s all fine and well and I have no problem with that alot of companies do that for all sorts of products totally common technically you could do to crown and get brushes with your own damn name on the if you wanted to, which honestly would be super cool. My problem here is they lest this as a crown brush but its been private labeled for Beauté Basics so it many not necessarily be the same brush as the Crown one depending on the order they placed. Also while you can find this brush on crown’s website you cannot find it on Beauté Basic’s website and that is a little weird and sketchy to me.  This also this brush is shedding like crazy and I haven’t eve used it yet I have little hairs all over my key board from just looking at it and taking pictures to review. This is all around bizarre for me ad not what I expect from Ipsy.

Temptu Base Smooth & Matte Primer

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 7.5 ml

Value: $6.25

Who named this? this is literally the opposite of a matte primer. I found this very thin and very illuminating. It also smells like paint so I don’t know if I am going to use this or pass this along illuminating primers are not really my thing. There was also no smoothing, blurring, pore filling effects it really didn’t do much but brighten the skin a little.

Pūr~lisse Blue Lotus Seed Mud Mask + Exfoliant

Full Size: 70 ml

Full Size Cost: $52

Sample Size: 15 ml

Value: $11.14

Did not realize how expensive this was when I tried it $52 for a mud mask that is ridiculous. Any KathrineLights fans out there? I can hear her voice right now lol. Any way I do like this brand and I really enjoy the blue lotus and seaweed sheet masks but this not so much. I feel like this mask fails at both being a clay mask and being an exfoliator.  It does not spread well and I feel like my pores actually looked bigger and more open after this mask. It did leave my skin feeling tight but not necessarily smoother. Honestly save your money and you can get all three Loreal clay masks for less and multi mask your little heart our they are like 10 dollars each you get more product and they are honestly wonderful better then alot of the high end masks I’ve used. Like run don’t walk and buy those instead.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Illumination Concealer in Medium

Full Size: 8 ml

Full Size Cost: $24

Sample Size: 1.5 ml

Value: $4.5

I have such a love hate with this brand the products are nice but they are really expensive. They are generally super full coverage but on me they tend to crease or get cakey or just look like i have heavy stage make up on. I was worried this would be the wrong color but medium does look like it will be light enough on me. Swatched  A tiny amount goes along way with this product. It is much brighter then the regular Bye Bye Under Eye that I also received in an Ipsy Bag. Also if youre interested it happens to be on sale right now on QVC and comes with one of their concealer brushes which is a great deal.

the Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer

Full Size: 0.25 oz

Full Size Cost: $10.99

Sample Size: 0.02 oz

Value: $0.88

I love the Balm they always have the cutest packaging. This is a bronzer/contour multipurpose powder type of deal. It is a neutral tone but looks a little muddy when applied. Swatched below. What I learned from this bag this  is they sell the Balm at Walmart did any one else know that? Because that is really cool. this sample is so small though that it will be hard to use as bronzer.

Here are the concealer and the bronzer swatched.


I feel like the curation of this bag was not that great this month. Ipsy this was a shitty way to start the year. The value is lower then I typically see in an Ipsy bag. This bag felt very random and thrown together I usually notice a good bit more cohesion between the products in a bag like a whole look and maybe a tool or skin care item.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $30.26

Skincare: 1

Makeup: 3

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 4

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

 

 

December 2016 Ipsy Subscription Review

December 2016 Ipsy Review

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. you can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 100 points and 1000 points. You can get up to 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate in any way just one beauty junkie to another.


So this month’s bag most importantly i loved the products but the bag, just no. I am not liking this fuzzy pink thing. Though the little wristlet strap is cool maybe that can appear again in the the future.

It looks like a muppet.

Nice collection of products so lets dig in.

Mintpear Blending Sponge

Full Size: Yes

Full Size Cost: $20

Value: $20

First up a blending sponge that came packaged in a plastic bag.  I really doubt this sponge is worth $20 dollars The Stila sponge that is the exact same shape is only $12 so I can not get on board with that price. Either way I’m always happy to have more blending sponges less I need to wash my brushes the happier I am.

And here it is out of the bag.

Its pretty large and very dense/stiff which I actually like in a blending sponge so this works for me.

Ciate Liquid Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in Pin-up

Full Size: 0.22 oz

Full Size Cost: $19

Sample Size: 0.067 oz

Value: $5.79

I’ve been excited to try these for awhile. This is described as a berry shade but to me it is a much more nude maybe a hint of mauve type shade. It’s very pretty and flattering though. It is a soft smooth application but doesn’t totally dry down and become totally transfer resistant/transfer proof like I like. Swatches Below.

Close up of applicator.

I really like the thinner point on the applicator makes for an easy application and clean lines.

Privai Aqua Gel Masque

Full Size: 1.7 oz

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size:  0.7 oz

Value: $14

 

This is not for me I have oily skin and a super hydrating gel masque is the last thing I need. The little bit I tried on my hand was very sticky total fail.

Tarte Maracuja Oil

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $48

Sample Size: 7 ml

Value: $6.72

This is the product I am most excited about I have always wanted to try this it is supposed to be good for everything hair skin everything. And it has the coolest dropper its like a regular eye dropper but instead of squeezing a little rubber ball you push the gold button. Very lux feeling.

NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow in Jaded

Full Size: 0.043 oz

Full Size Cost: $5.99

Sample Size: 0.043 oz

Value: $5.99

This is a very creamy pigmented shadow it reminds me alot of Urban Decay’s Lounge expect instead of Lounge’s red/purple shift this has a more grey/silver shift which I like better. Lounge tends to get very  muddy looking on the eyes.

And the little bow is to cute.

Swatches with flash

And without flash

Now who’s ready for story time? When I took this out of the box it was rattling. I had to know why so I popped the container open and inside I found a big piece of plastic in their.

Pretty random it wasn’t broken off of anything and the container went right back together so not sure how that ended up happening but well.

 


I was very happy with this month’s bag. I love liquid lipsticks and I got that oil which I’ve wanted to try for a long time. Ipsy is usually a hit so this is the quality I expect from them.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $52.50

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 2

Tools: 1

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 2

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 1

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup