Retrospective: Ipsy January 2013

Ipsy January 2013: Month 6; Super Stars

Ipsy Bag, January 2013

This is the biggest bag sent, I use it as my everyday makeup bag still.  It is dark blue with a star printed lining.

Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play
Photo from Ipsy

I don't use hair spray.  I don't like hair spray.  This is sitting, lonely, in my bathroom closet, just waiting for the day I decide to use it.  I'm holding onto it because I just might need it some day and it's the only hairspray I have.  Scratch that.  I just went to look for it to get the size and I must have traded it to a friend.  OH WELL.  See how much I care?

Full size 10.6 oz is $17.95 on Ulta.  The sample size is 1.6 oz, worth approximately $2.71.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
Photo from Ipsy

I have a ton of argan oil already, so I gave this one to my mom and told her to use it on her face or on the ends of her hair.  I don't know if she has tried it, but that's what I use it for, and I like it.

Full size (large) is 50 mL for $48. Sample size is 5 mL, worth $4.80.

Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Bloody Mary
Photo from Ipsy

This is my second polish from Nailtini, and I wish I had gotten the sheer pink as I have a lot of red polishes already.  This is a little deeper than some of the ones I have, and has absolutely no shimmer to it.  It is just a pure, rich red color.  2 coats is enough for full and even coverage.

Full size, $13.

Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter
Photo from Ipsy

This is pretty strongly scented, but smells good.  It is a very thick body butter and hydrates very well.  I wouldn't go out of my way to buy more, but that's only because I have so many lotions! I'd gladly accept another sample, though, or a different product in the same scent.

This is their smallest size that they sell, 2.5 oz, and it goes for $7.

SoHo Eyeliner Brush (middle)
Photo from Ipsy

The final item everyone got was one of three brushes from SoHo.  I got the eyeliner brush and hardly ever use it, because I mostly wear eyeliner pencil, and when I don't, I use my MAC eyeliner brush instead.

Value $7.99

Total Value $35.50

I do like when Ipsy sends out things other than makeup, like they did this month, but I mostly get this bag so I can try new makeup brands.  This had only the nailpolish, and even that is pushing it.  I suppose after a few makeup-only bags, we can get some other things, but I wasn't as excited about it.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy December 2012

Ipsy December 2012: Month 5; Haute Holiday

December 2012 Bag
Photo from Ipsy

This month's bag was a silvery-grey one with hot pink inside.  I still use this when I travel for holding my shower supplies.  It is very spacious!

Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss in Hot Mess
Photo from Ipsy

This is, according to the company, a true red.  I'd agree with that, but you can apply it so that it is more sheer than in-your-face, which I really like.  I thought I lost this and I was pretty bummed out, but I found it again and all is right in the world.  It is a decent (thick) gloss, and I appreciate the fact that I can control the color payoff.

This is full sized, $14 for 3g.

Mai Couture Highlighter Papier
Photo from Ipsy

This is little sheets of thin paper with shimmer powder pressed into them.  It was tricky for me to apply without getting too much of it in too many places (because I'm super pale).  It looked like I was diseased, actually.  I should try it before the end of the summer since I have a tiny bit of color and it might not look as terrible as it did in January when I tried it out for the first time.

Full size (50 sheets) is $28.  The 25 sheets of the sample are worth $14.

Mirabella Prime
Photo from Ipsy

This is a silicone primer similar (at least to me) to Smashbox's Photo Finish.  I hardly ever use it as I don't wear "real" makeup most days.  My BB cream is enough, and I don't need primer with that.

This was full size (12.85g) and retails for $29.

NYX Ultra Pearl Mania in Pearl (light pink)
Photo from Ipsy

I like this pearl shadow.  It is loose and comes in a cute bottle with a small enough opening that you don't dump the entire contents everywhere.  I can usually shake enough out onto the back of my hand for both eyes without much extra.  It's a shimmery light pink and it's nice as a highlighter. I've used it fairly consistently since this December bag.

Full size, 5 mL $3.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner in Zero (black)
Photo from Ipsy

I am obsessed with UD's glide on liners.  I have 20 or so in various colors and they are the only eyeliners I wear.  I wrote about this in my Ipsy top 5 favorites post.  If you have the money to spend, DO IT.  The vintage colors are $6 right now on UD's website and they last all day and have great color payoff.

This wasn't quite full-sized (1.2g, for $19), it was 0.8, which has a value of $12.67.


Total Value $72.67

Amazing value for what I paid! Full sized lip gloss, primer, and eyeshadow, half size highlighter paper, and 3/4 size eyeliner.  You could do an entire look with what was sent, and everything worked well together (with the exception of the paper).  I like that Ipsy sends familiar and well-known brands, as well as things I've never heard of.  It is a good way to try new things!

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy November 2012

This was the first month since I had been subscribing that there was an "OR" item.  There were a few months before I joined where this happened.

Ipsy November 2012: Month 4; Party Perfect!

November 2012 Bag
Photo from Ipsy

This bag was pretty simple.  It was dark brown with a faux-leather zipper.  The inside of the bag was also dark brown.

BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Dare Devil
Photo from Ipsy

This smells like spiced rum to me, which makes it weird to use.  I do like the color, though! It is on the sheer side so it isn't too dark, and has some nice shimmer to it without being overly glittery.  It's a very nice holiday color.

Full size is $18 for 4.5 mL.  The sample Ipsy sent was half of the full size, 2.25 mL, for a value of $9.

Chella Defining Brow Gel (Clear)
Photo from Ipsy

This was the either/or item.  Other people received a sample of Benefit's They're Real! Mascara.  I wouldn't pay full price for just a clear eyebrow gel, but I do use this now that I have it.  I would imagine there isn't much of a difference between this and a drugstore brand, other than the price.

Full size (0.2 fl.oz.) costs $18 and the sample size 0.12 fl.oz which gives it a value of $10.80

theBalm Meet Matt(e) in Matt Batali
Photo from Ipsy

I like that this eyeshadow pan came in its own little magnetic box! It keeps it from getting everywhere and I don't have to stick a magnet to it or anything.  This is a matte eggplant color, and looks really nice as part of a purple smokey eye.  They don't make the original Meet Matt(e) palette anymore, but they do have a Meet Matt(e) Nude version with more eyeshadow for your money.

Meet Matt(e) Nude is $42 for 25.5g (9 shadows).  The sample weight is 0.9g, making it worth $1.48 at the nude palette pricing.  If I went by the discontinued palette pricing it would be slightly more, as that one was more expensive per gram of shadow.

Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Millionaire
Photo from Ipsy

This is the first Nailtini product I received, and I really liked it.  This is a clear base with rose gold microglitter and gold and green bar glitters.  It is another nice holiday color. It applies well and dries fast, since it is a glitter.

This is full size (0.5 fl.oz.) and retails for $13.

Starlet Intense Eyeliner in Chocolate
Photo from Ipsy

This was a dud.

This is full size (1.5g), and while this color isn't on their website and the packaging on their other eyeliners is different, they sell for $11.

Total Value $45.28

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: Ipsy sends you a great value for your $10.  This bag was full or deluxe sample items and is definitely for the makeup-obsessed.  There was a little of every makeup category in this bag, which Ipsy is really good at doing.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy October 2012

At this point, Ipsy was in their 11th month.  Ipsy Match hadn't started, so everyone got the same thing in their bag, with some color variations.

Ipsy October 2012: Month 3; Hello, Bombshell.

October 2012 Bag
Photo from Ipsy

This month's bag was black and white chevron print with a red zipper.  I still use it for first aid stuff in my work bag, but the white is a little dirty now.

Be a Bombshell Eyeliner in Onyx
Photo from Ipsy

This was full-sized and sells on Be a Bombshell's website for $14.  The marker tip is nice, you can get a thick or thin line depending on how you hold it.  I have used this quite a bit for cat-eyes and like it a lot.

Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Quads, Set 4 (Upper Right)
Photo from Ipsy

I mentioned these in my Ipsy favorites post.  I've used every color except the hot pink from this quad and they are all nicely pigmented and work well together.

Net weight 2g.  Coastal Scents sells individual pans for $1.95 and they are 1.5g.  This makes the overall value of the 4 mini shadows $2.60.

Mirenesse Lip Bomb #9 Color
Photo from Ipsy

Lip Bomb
Photo from Ipsy

This was full-sized (3.1g) and sells for about $35.10.  Too bad I don't like it.

Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment
Photo from Ipsy

This hair oil is part natural oil and part dimethicone, but I still like it.  It make my hair glossy and it smells amazing.  I can't describe it, you will have to take my word for it.

This was a 15 mL travel size, which sells for $12 on their website.

theBalm What's Your Type Mascara in The Bodybuilder
Photo from Ipsy

I used this mascara up! I loved it.  I'd gladly accept another sample! I can't justify buying any more mascara since I have quite the stockpile, but I like this a lot.  It didn't make my lashes clumpy, yet added volume.

Full size is 12 mL for $19. The sample is 3.5 mL for a value of $5.54

Total Value $69.24

The high value this month is mostly due to the failure that is the Lip Bomb.  Bomb, indeed.  Maybe I just need to learn to apply it... but then what do I do with pepto-colored lips?  Everything else was a total hit for me, and this remains one of my favorite bags they have sent.



Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy September 2012

At this point, My Glam switched to being called Ipsy and this was their 10th month.  Ipsy Match hadn't started, so everyone got the same thing in their bag.

Ipsy September 2012: Month 2 ...beauty by you

The September 2012 bag
Photo from Ipsy

The bag had a detachable wrist strap! They need to do more bags like this. I used it so much I broke the zipper so badly I couldn't fix it.  Oh well.  I detached the strap and put it on the October 2012 bag, instead.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer
Photo from Ipsy

This smells so good! It has a very warm scent.  I don't think I ever noticed my split ends looking better (at least temporarily) because they were so bad at that point, but it sure did make my hair smell awesome.

$25 for 50 mL.  Sample size 10 mL, worth $5.

Andrea's Choice Circus Polish in Tightrope
Photo by Ipsy

Second month in a row to feature a neon polish from the Circus collection.  Not that I'm complaining! This dries matte and takes 2 coats to reach a good opacity level.  I like it better with a top coat.

Set of 5 $29.95.  1 polish $5.99.

Jane Sparkle Gloss
Photo from Ipsy

I don't know what happened to this.  I guess I didn't like it enough to keep track of where it was.  It seems a little juvenile to me.  I remember jane cosmetics from when I was young, and it is a bright pink, sparkly lip gloss.  Yeah.  I don't really care that I've lost it!

5 mL.  I couldn't find this anymore on the Jane website, but they at one point sold sets of 3 glosses for $9.99.  Single gloss value $3.33

Mirabella Eye Shadow Pan in Semiformal
Photo from Ipsy

This was just an individual pan without a container.  It is magnetic, but I didn't have a palette at that point so I kept it in the little sleeve it came in.  It's a pretty, shimmery medium brown.

$10, full size at 2g.

SOHO Smudge Brush
Photo from Ipsy

This is still one of my most-used items from Ipsy, and is in my top 5 Ipsy favorites.

This sells for $5.97 on the Wal-Mart website and for more other places.

Total Value $30.29

Another great bag from Ipsy.  I like that they sent a variety of items, they give a little of everything, as long as it is beauty related.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Retrospective: Ipsy August 2012

At this point, Ipsy was still called My Glam and this was their 9th month.  Ipsy Match hadn't started, so everyone got the same thing in their bag.

Ipsy August 2012: Month 1, Endless Summer

The bag, neon orange mesh.
Photo from Ipsy

The nice thing about Ipsy is that they send your products in a makeup bag every month! Nice!

Andrea's Choice Circus Nail Polish in Ringmaster
Photo from Ipsy

Matte, neon pink.  I like this color and 2 coats is enough to cover. Plus, it came in a cute container.  Packaging is everything!

Set of 5 for $29.95, individual polish (0.45 fl.oz.) worth $5.99.

Eclos Plant Stem Cells Cellular Activator Face Serum
Photo from Ipsy

This was a good serum, and smelled herbal in a good way.  It kept my skin hydrated all throughout the winter, and I used it with the face cream as suggested.

Full size, 50 mL, $24.99.  Sample was 15 mL, value $7.50

Eclos Plant Stem Cells Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream
Photo from Ipsy

Again, a really nice face cream.  I miss the scent, actually.  I used this up completely, which is pretty unusual for me and a face cream! I tend to get bored and move on to the next sample.  This lasted quite a while, too.

Full size $24.99 for 2.0 fl.oz. Sample was 0.25 fl.oz, worth $3.12.

s.a.l.t.y. Cosmetics Glama-ZOID Eyeshadow
Photo from Ipsy (seriously)

Iridescent white-pinkish eyeshadow.  It's interesting, to say the least.  I don't really like it, but I've worn it a few times.  It doesn't look like you have anything on, unless you hit the light right and it flashes pink/purple.

Ssample was 1g, which is currently the size selling for $4.50 on their website.

Demeter Roll-On Perfume Oil in Clean Skin
Photo from Ipsy

This smells like baby powder.  I normally like Demeter, but this isn't my favorite.  Not even close! Pomegranate is way better!

Full size, $10 retail (0.29 fl.oz.)

Also included was an extra: MyGlam branded pink watermelon-flavored lip gloss.  It tastes like medicine to me and looks weird and milky on my lips.  I don't have a picture from Ipsy of what it looks like.



Total Value $31.11 (not including bonus lip gloss)

I was really happy with this bag when I got it.  It was my first Ipsy bag and I wasn't sure what to expect, but this exceeded my expectations, especially when you consider that the roll-on perfume paid for the whole thing.

Ipsy costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn a free item if 2 people sign up with my link.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

The Week in Nails, August 18

This week was pretty busy for me and I didn't have much time to devote to my nails.  

Julep Lynn

2 coats of Julep Lynn, no base and 1 coat of Seche Vite.  I got a lot of complements on this color, with people saying it looked really nice with my skin tone.  I like it, it just is a bit on the frosty side of things and if you aren't careful will show brush strokes.  It also seems to take longer to dry, even with the top coat.  I wore this for 4 days with only a little tip wear towards the end of day 4.

Deborah Lippmann Private Dancer

2 thin coats of Private Dancer, no base and no top.  

I'd never pay this much for a polish, but it came in one of my subscription boxes.  I'm not going to send it back, that's for sure! The formula is perfect and the purple and gold duochrome is gorgeous in person.  This is one of my favorite polishes that I own and I try to wear it sparingly because I'm sure not going to buy a replacement.

I wore this for 3 days.

Retrospective: Birchbox June 2013

See my first Retrospective for the answers to the quiz that I used.

June 2013: Month 16

Color Club Wanderlust Collection in Reign in Spain (far left)
Photo from Birchbox

I ordered the full set of this polish so fast.  It's awesome, despite how much I usually hate Color Club. Plush, Reign in Spain is my HG coral polish.

Set of 4, $8.  Value of single polish (0.25 fl.oz.) $2.

Davines 3-Step System
Photo from Birchbox

I dislike that BB sent me all three products and I could only review them as a set! Boo! There was a 2.5 fl. oz. bottle of shampoo, which smells amazing but has sulfates; a foil packet (0.41 fl.oz.) of conditioner; and a foil packet (0.1 fl.oz.) of the oil, which I haven't tried yet.  I use the shampoo every now and then just because it smells so good! It reminds me of grapefruit a little bit.  The conditioner was really nice, though.  Very rich.

Shampoo $24 for 8 fl.oz. Sample value $7.50

Conditioner $27.50 for 8 fl.oz. Sample value $1.41

Oi/Oil $41 for 4 fl.oz.  Sample value $1.02

Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser
Photo from Birchbox

 This smells so good! I loved this sample.  It started out as a scrub, but as the sugar melted, it started to foam and turned into a really nice cleanser.  It smelled good enough to eat, but I wouldn't recommend that...not that I tried... not at all... nope.

Full size 4 fl.oz. $32.95.  The sample size was 0.25 fl. oz, worth $2.06

Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder in Translucent
Photo from Birchbox

I don't have any comment on this, as I haven't yet tried it.  I'm still using up all my other translucent powders.  It has pretty good reviews, though.

$40 for 0.35 oz., making the 0.017 oz sample worth $1.94.

Total Value  $15.93

This was a decent box overall. I loved the nail polish color and am so glad they sent the one they did! Now I have a backup because I bought the full set.  The other products (that I've tried) were all good and there weren't any weird extras.  I just wish I could have reviewed the Davines products individually!

Birchbox costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  You can review the products you receive for 10 Birchbox points each.  For every $1 you spend in the BB shop, you also receive 1 BB point.  For every 100 BB points you accumulate, you get $10 to spend in their shop.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn 50 BB points at the end of your first month.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.