Ipsy May 2014 Review

Ipsy May 2014

Ipsy's theme this month was "Fresh Picks" and was another low-makeup month.  A few times a year, it seems like Ipsy focuses more on skin and hair care than makeup.  I much prefer the all-makeup months!

Ipsy May 2014 bag
Chilling with some succulents

The bag this month is actually one of my favorites ever! It is canvas with a spring-green leaf print on the front.  It feels pretty durable and I already have it in my purse.

That being said, the bag is probably my favorite thing out of this month.  Womp womp.

Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask

Eva-NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask

The first item that I got this month is a hair mask from  Eva NYC.  I haven't tried it yet, to be honest, because I have one open already, but maybe this weekend I'll put this in my shower to try it out.  I like the packaging, though, very pretty!  This mask has argan oil and Keravis in it.  Keravis is a trademarked product that is basically a combination protein/silicone.  

The full size is 500 mL for $40, making the 60 mL sample worth $4.80 (although they sell this size for $12 on the EVA NYC site).

Pacifica Eyeshadow Duo

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo #2- Moonbeam and Unicorn

Of course, the ONLY makeup item I get, and I don't like it!  There was a Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm sent to some people this month, and I wanted it so badly!  I LOVE those.  But no, I got this eyeshadow duo.

Moonbeam, left.  Unicorn, right.
Tiny aloe plant as prop

The duo I got is very pretty in the package.  Moonbeam is a dusky purple with a slight golden sheen, and Unicorn is an eggshell cream with a golden shift.  In theory, these are great colors!

Two swipes over bare skin.  Unicorn on top, Moonbeam on the bottom
Feather to cover up my super disgusting curling iron burn

Unfortunately, over bare skin these barely show up.  Moonbeam looks like a fading bruise, and Unicorn is there, but most of its golden sheen stayed on my swatching finger and didn't stick to my hand.  Maybe a primer would help these.  I was pretty disappointed in the quality of these.  This shadow is 0.07oz (I'll round to 2g, 1g for each color).  Pacifica is a Vegan company, and these use coconut oil as the main binding component.  They are nice and soft, I just want more color payoff!

Moonbeam is from the Mystical Supernatural Eye Shadow Palette ($14 for 7g), and this half of the shadow is worth $2.
Unicorn is from the Charmed Shadow Palette ($17 for 5.6g), and this half of the shadow is worth $3.04.

Total: $5.04

Hey Honey Take It Off Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask

Hey Honey Take it OFf

This peel-off mask has honey and an alpha hydroxy acid in it.  The directions are to put on a face lotion, put the mask over it, let the mask dry, peel it off, and put on more lotion.  All that lotioning seems to me to be what is making your face so soft!  But, I haven't tried this, so I can't really speak on that.


50 mL is $35, making the 10 mL sample worth $7.  That's pretty expensive, but it doesn't seem like you use a lot at a time, so this should last a while.  Especially because I don't really use masks more often than once a month.

Hang 10 Classic Sport Sunscreen SPF

Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen SPF 50

Hang Ten is owned by Coola, the makers of a higher-end mineral sunscreen line.  I've gotten some Coola products in previous bags, but this is not a face-specific sunscreen like those were.  This is water-resistant UVA/UVB sunscreen.  I always need more of this!  It has the same chemical sunscreen ingredients as everything else on the market (avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene), and so it works because these molecules absorb the ultraviolet rays so your skin doesn't.  This means you need to reapply after AT MOST 2 hours, because all that radiation can degrade these compounds, causing them to produce free radicals which are also bad for your skin.  

This is $12.99 for 3.4 fl.oz., making the 1 fl.oz. sample worth $3.82



Avène Thermal Spring Water

Avene Thermal Spring Water

Seriously?  Why do products like this exist?  This is water.  In a misting can.  For your face.  Ok, thanks Ipsy.  I just don't get it- what is so special about this, and why do you need to gently mist your face with water often enough to require a product like this?

Whatever- to each their own.  The company claims that the minerals in this water (from the thermal spring) help calm and soothe irritated skin.  Eh.  I'll spritz it on the next sunburn I get and see if it does anything besides temporarily cool it off.

The full price is $18 for 300 mL.  That is OUTRAGEOUS for water in a fancy can.  Holy crap.

The 50 mL sample is worth $3. 

Everything all together:

Ipsy May 2014

All together, this month had a value of $23.66.  It's not the highest value Ipsy bag ever, and I don't like two of the products, but the sunscreen, hair treatment, and face mask are decent.  I love the bag, though! Hopefully next month goes back to being makeup-only!

Ipsy is $10 per month and sends you 4-6 deluxe and full-sized (mostly makeup) items in a reusable makeup bag.  You can review each item on their site for 10 points each, and every 1000 Ipsy points will get you a bonus item.  If you want to try it out, please use my link here.  I'll get some extra Ipsy points for each referral.

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. This post contains a referral link.

Retrospective: Ipsy May 2013

Ipsy May 2013: Month 9; Spring Fling

Ipsy bag May 2013
Photo from Ipsy

This is a wind-breaker-esque fabric with a blue and orange chevron print.  It's actually pretty cute and I think whoever ends up getting it filled with goodies this Christmas will like it, too.

Juice Beauty Reflecting Gloss in Fig
Photo from Ipsy

Oh, Juice Beauty.  You and I have such a love/hate relationship.  I love some of your products, but hate the smell of most of them.  This is no exception.  I like the texture of this gloss, it is not too thick or thin and is not sticky at all.  I love the shimmer and gloss it gives to my lips, and it has fairly decent staying power for a lip gloss.  I hate the smell/taste and the color looks terrible on me.  It looks brown.  I don't wear brown lip colors for a reason.  They look awful with my pale skin and blonde hair.  Just awful.  I don't have any friends with the right coloring for this, so I'm going to hold onto it for now.  Maybe I'll make a friend down the line who will be able to wear it!

Full size, 8g, $15.  Also available in a set of 4 for $48 ($12/each).

Pacifica Coconut Crushed Pearl Bronzing Body Butter
Photo from Ipsy

I was super excited to see this in my bag! I know a lot of people were disappointed they got a bronzing lotion, but not me.  I'm very pale and plan on staying that way, but I don't want to blind people with my legs when I wear a dress.  Enter bronzing lotion.  I have a few already, but this one is nice and subtle.  It's not too bronzing or too shimmery, plus it smells awesome.  To me, it smells like vanilla and coconut.  To the boys at work it smells like: cupcakes, vanilla frosting, birthday cake, rice crispy treats (yeah, it kinda does, actually), and just all around deliciousness.  They couldn't stop talking about how good I smelled at lunch.  Ladies, take note: wear this and get lots of male attention because you smell like baked goods.

This 2fl.oz. size sells for $7.

Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff
Photo from Ipsy

For once, Ipsy matched my skin tone (closely enough).  There is one shade lighter than this (vanilla), but they say to pick a concealer that is a little darker than your skin tone, right?  This works pretty well on my slight under eye circles, and I haven't tried it on anything else.  Trying to cover up each individual freckle I have seems obnoxiously tedious.  Most days I don't even bother with concealer, but at least now I have one in case I want to use it! I didn't before and had been meaning to pick one up when this arrived.  It'll do.  Plus, it is magnetic and fits into the case they sent in March.

3.5g (20mm pan diameter) $4.85.

Zoya Nailpolish in Piaf (yellow, far right)
Photo from Ipsy

The purple on the far left is called Julie.  I think that if a customer had the name of a polish in this collection, they should have sent it to that person! I would have MUCH rather gotten the purple with my name on it than the ugly yellow that I'll never be able to wear.  Gross.  It's a pretty glass-type glittery finish, which I'm sure is lovely in the other colors.  Oh well.

This was full size, 0.5 fl.oz. $8.

Mirabella Perfecting Powder in Translucent
Photo from Ipsy

This is in my Ipsy top 5.  I have used up about 2/3 of this, and I've used it every day since I got it.  I'll be sad when it runs out! It really does buff into your skin to give a flawless finish.  I love it.  I can't speak highly enough of it.

Full size $30 (4g), this is 1.3g and worth $9.75.


There was a wide variety of products that were sent out this month.  It looks like everyone got a nail polish and a concealer, and three other items.  The other options were: Anastasia mini clear brow gel, Pacifica luminizing body butter, Pacifica Island Vanilla & Tahitian Gardenia Perfume Rollerball, Macadamia Hair Healing Oil Treatment, NUME Finishing Serum, Mirabella Colour Sheers Lipstick, St. Tropez One Night Only Instant Glow Body Lotion, Mirabella Shimmeratti Glimmer Gloss, Mirabella Lip Lustre Liner.

Total Value $44.60 (using $15 for the lip gloss).

There was a decent variety of items included in this bag, and most of them were really great! I do wish the gloss and nail polish were different colors, but I like the lotion and perfecting powder so much that its value far exceeded its $10 price tag for the bag.

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 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.