Ipsy January 2014

Ipsy January 2014: 19 Things

Ipsy's theme this month was skin care, it seemed.  That's cool.  I need to replenish my skincare sample supply.

Ipsy bag, January 2014

I don't like this bag.  It smells terrible- like plastic and burning and grossness.  The design isn't that great, either.  I like the colors, but the design seems like something you would get with fake makeup for 6-year-old girls.

LeeAnni Eco 3 in 1 Revolotion

This is a little pot of a combination toner, serum, and lotion (get it... revoLOTION) from LeeAnni Eco.  It smells like cooked minute rice.  It doesn't feel heavy or greasy or anything, it just doesn't really have any distinguishing characteristics.  The white rice of face lotions?  Perhaps.

Full size, 4 fl.oz $29.98.  This container is 1/4 fl.oz., making it worth $1.87.

Mica Beauty Tinted Lip Balm in #5 Natural

I didn't expect to like this as much as I do!  I wouldn't call it a balm, though.  That implies something with the texture of ChapStick, to me.  This is more like a light, solid stain.  The website claims the color will last up to 24 hours, but I can't really comment on that as I've only had it for 4 hours.

This color is great, it is a total MLBB (my lips but better) color for me.  It doesn't feel like I'm wearing anything on my lips, I keep wanting to put more on because it is so light!  It's not sticky, not greasy, not liquidy or powdery.  Nice.

The full size, 4g, is $30 (and comes with a brush like the Cailyn version) and the 2.5g sample from Ipsy is worth $18.75.

Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner

As a curly-haired girl, I can never have enough leave-in conditioners.  This one smells faintly of passion fruit and left my hair nice and soft.  I like it.  Plus, it helped detangle everything.  FINALLY a Sexy Hair product from Ipsy that I actually like and will use!

250 mL at Ulta is $17.95.  50 mL sample worth $3.59.

Nourish Organic Face Lotion

This lotion is not one of my favorites.  It smells like an orange creamsicle and turned really watery when I went to rub it into my skin.  It left my skin smooth, but I'm not a fan of the texture at all.  Oh well, you win some and you lose some.  This brand is available at Target, among other places.

$21.99 for 1.7 oz.  Sample is 0.5 oz, worth $6.47.

Elizabeth Mott Smooth Shadow Creamy Eye Pencil in penny

I got the other makeup item offered this month: an eye pencil by Elizabeth Mott in a shiny copper color called, of course, penny.  The other option was a white pearl color, called, duh, pearl.  Creative names.

Copper swatched on bare skin

This is a pretty nice pencil.  I wore it out last night on my lids and it was subtle, but with a little kick.  The above swatch is still visible on my hand, but it has dulled.  I've washed my hands a few times since taking the picture yesterday, but I didn't vigorously scrub.  This pencil has serious staying power!

I saw some comments on Ipsy about sharpening this- it is not a twist-up, it is like NYX jumbo eye pencils and can be sharpened.

Sample is 0.7g, the full size is 1.5g and sells for $14.99, making the sample worth $7.

Ipsy January 2014

All together, my bag this month totaled $37.68.  

I wish I hadn't gotten two face lotions, there was enough variety this month that I could have received something totally different.  That's ok, I like the eye pencil and lip balm, and I love the leave-in conditioner.  It's a win overall for me.  

If you want to try out Ipsy for yourself, it is $10 per month and you can use my link here.  You might have to wait on the list, but they often do promotions where you can skip the line if you share a post on Facebook.  I'll get 250 Ipsy points for each referral.  1000 Ipsy points can be redeemed for a bonus item in your next bag.  Each product you get and review earns you 10 Ipsy points.  This is not the best system, but the products alone are worth the money you spend per month.

Also: Many thanks to Michelle for using my link! I hope you like your bags!

This post contains items purchased by me.  No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link; see above for details.

Ipsy Review September 2013

Ipsy September 2013

Woo! Ipsy time!

This month's theme is "Classic Beauty" and the bags included products to help you create your favorite classic looks.

Ipsy September 2013

This month everyone received a shade of NYX powder eyeshadow single.  I got ES29: Deep Charcoal.

NYX Eyeshadow in Deep Charcoal

This is a shimmery darker gray color, but is very buildable.  I was able to get a sheer layer, but also a true-to-pan swatch with another swipe of color.  I used my finger and no primer in the pictures below.

Cailyn and NYX Swatches

Full size, value $4.50

The next item that everyone got was another mascara.  We just got one last month, but at least this is sealed and I can keep it until needed.  

It's So Big Mascara from Elizabeth Mott

It's So Big Volumizing Mascara from Elizabeth Mott.  Claims to lengthen and curl your lashes, and last all day.

The full size is 10 mL and sells for $20.  Sample size 4mL, worth $8.

We also each got three other items, chosen based on our Ipsy profiles by Ipsy Match. Uh.. ok.  I would have liked the mini Butter London polish WAY BETTER than anything I got.  Oh well, win some, lose some.  Could have been worse!

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple

This is packaged just like the Cailyn gel eyeliner I got in a previous bag.  The cap unscrews from the pot and there is a built-in brush.  I used my finger to apply this and now my finger is stained... I probably should have used the brush!

Cailyn Balm and included brush

Everyone got the same color, a bright blue-toned red that should be flattering on most skin tones.  I don't know what I'm going to do with all these red lip products I'm getting! I suppose I'm going to have to learn to rock the red lip.  This balm is more like a stain- it is on the dry side, but not drying, if you know what I mean.  It didn't rub off on my boyfriends cheek (he HATES when things don't pass that test! ;) and still feels pretty smooth on my lips without being sticky or slimy or anything.

This was the tiniest amount of product I could manage to apply- and it's STILL super red.

This was full-sized (3g) and sells for $19.

Starlooks Kohl Eye Pencil in Obsidian

Starlooks Kohl Eyeliner in Obsidian

Snore.  Another black eyeliner that is not my beloved UD24/7.  It's going in the giveaway drawer.  I'm sure it's great, but I have at least 3 UD liners in Zero and one in Perversion.  Not to mention my various black gel eyeliners that I have gotten in sub boxes.  I don't think I'll use them up any time soon anyway, as I mostly wear bright colors and not black.

Again, I think it's interesting that a makeup company with its own subscription box would partner with Ipsy.  It's probably a good move on their part, and at least a black eyeliner is generally going to be flattering on everyone- not like the lip liners they sent out that were odd colors.

This is full sized (2.4g) and sells for $12.

The final product(s) I got in my bag were three of the Freeman Beauty Paper Masks.

Freeman Beauty Paper Trio

I got one each in Starfruit (purifying), Rose (brightening), and Blue Agave (hydrating).  You smooth the mask on your face, wait 5-10 minutes, and then peel off.  I've never used a paper mask before and am interested to try it out!

These sell for about $1.99 each.  $5.97 for the three.

The other either/or items were: Butter London mini polish, Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil, J.Cat Beauty Fantabulous Lipstick, Jesse's Girl Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo, John Frieda Full Repair Conditioner, Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon, Skyn Iceland Firming Eye Gels, or Victoria Jackson Taupe Brow Pencil.  

This month there was also a promotional insert for em by Michelle Phan (the new makeup line by Ipsy's founder).  It showed an actual size picture of the Life Palette (Career Life) and included some samples pressed onto the cardboard.  These always weird me out.  Anyway, they included a blush and 3 eyeshadows from the "look 4: natural talent" quadrant of this particular palette.  It says that the sample "is for evaluation of texture and aesthetic properties only"... whatever that is supposed to mean.  So, not enough for an actual application of the product, just enough to see the colors and feel what it feels like stamped on paper?  Thanks...  The colors give are ok, but nothing special.  A bunch of neutrals.

em by Michelle Phan sample

Total Value $49.47

This bag was decent.  I like the actual bag's print more than I thought I would after seeing it online.  Black eyeliner, mascara, and red lips are definitely classic looks, and the grey shadow would make for a nice smokey eye.  I'll probably use the face masks for a girls' night, since Ipsy was nice enough to include 3!  BB would have only given us one, I'm sure...  All in all, it's an acceptable bag.  I'm not absolutely in love with anything, but there aren't any duds.

If you want to sign up for Ipsy, you can use my link here.  I'll get 250 points for referring you.  It costs $10 per month, including shipping, and you get deluxe and full sized products.  It is a mostly makeup subscription with a few other beauty things thrown in every now and then.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me.