Ipsy Glam Bag - February 2014

Hi friends,

I received my first Ipsy Glam Bag in February 2014, and boy, oh boy! Was I  completely wowed! I just can't believe I hung on to Birchbox for an entire year, hoping for makeup while this little bag could have been on my doorstep every single month! Lesson learned...DO YOU RESEARCH FIRST!

For those of you not familiar with Ipsy, it is a sample subscription dedicated solely to makeup! Every month, you will receive 5 items, most will be full or travel sizes. The cost? $10/month. That's it! When you join in, you may be placed on a waiting list, but the following month, you will be asked to share your desire for a subscription via Facebook or another social network and BAM! Just like that, simply by sharing, you will be off the waiting least (well, at least that was my story and how I finally received my bag).
Want to join Ipsy? There is a referral system whereby I (and you) would earn points towards full size products, you can join through this referral  link. (Thank you ♥♥♥)

 

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So, what was in it, you may ask? Check this loot below:

In my February bag, I received three full sizes:

* City Color be Matte Blush (Fresh Melon)
* Zoya Nailpolish (Odette)
* J-Cat - False Eyelashes

And two samples:

*Pop Beauty Lip Lacquer in Peony Petal
*Phyto -C Velvet Gel

In addition, Ipsy sends you a cosmetic pouch every month with your subscription and I could use a lot of those since they make great organizational tools for the home and your purse! let me dive right into the review!

 

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City Color - Be Matte Blush - Fresh Melon - A

Full size  - $2.99

From the City Color website:

Our Be Matte Blush comes in 8 revolutionary colors, giving your cheeks a vibrant glow for every look. Its silky-smooth texture and richly pigmented hue comes in the perfect matte finish with an ultra blend-able formula. These stunning shades are highly build-able and allow you to create either an elegantly subtle or dramatically bold look. It's every girl's must-have secret!

I received mine in Fresh Melon which is a blend of pink and coral - a perfect blend that is. I completely fell in love with this blush, it is very pigmented, has amazing staying power, and best of all, it is matte - no shimmer here!
Overall, the formula is very good but it tends to be a bit too powdery, so I would recommend you apply with your fingers first then blend in with a good brush, otherwise, the stuff flies all over the place. Unfortunately, this product is manufactured in China.
But for $2.99, you just cannot beat the price/value/quality of this blush.
As mentioned above, City Color Matte Blushes come in 8 different shades:

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Zoya Nail Polish - Odette - A

Full Size - $9

 

 

This was my first Zoya nail polish EVER! And I love it! Now I can see why so many gals out on YT and blogs rave about this nailpolish company. I thought the formula was excellent and it is formaldehyde- free!

There was only one thing that kept this polish from hitting the wall of fame (A+ by my book): the brush itself! I have a wide nail bed and prefer a large, flat brush. While this brush is a bit wider than Essie's, it is still a bit too narrow for me, therefore requiring more (careful) application). Other than that, it is an excellent polish with great coverage and duration (no chips after 4 days and I constantly pick at my nails).

 

It just would be impossible for me to showcase all the colors available on the Zoya website, but, I did find something quite interesting:

You can purchase what they call a Dream Box which is a basic gift box you would fill with anywhere from 3 to 12 (I believe) nail polishes or are selected for you. This makes a great gift to self or others:

 

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I have never purchased nail polish online but since Zoya is not available in my area, I think I may go ahead and order a few pinks and purples for the summer!

 

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Pop Beauty - Lip Gloss/Lacquer - Peony Petal - A

Full Size - $16

 

 

 

From the Pop Beauty website:

 

This plumping pout perfector combines the high-shine of a lacquered gloss with the long wear of a stain and is packed full of lip-plumping peptides and avocado & jojoba oils. Lightweight, creamy texture immediately merges with lips & delivers intense glossy colour for an extremely long-lasting finish!

 

There is a lot that an be said about this lacquer. The pigment itself is fabulous, it provides great coverage and is true to shade (does not lose tone when applied). As opposed to many others I have tried in the past, this one is not tacky at all. It glides on and stays put. It is, however, a bit gooey by that I mean that a lot of it gets applied and it may not always be the best application, if you run outside your lip line, you will create a mess - basically. So careful application and perhaps a different brush may be needed. As for the plumping effect, I did not notice anything special outside of the light reflecting on the shine and making my lips look fuller. It is also on the pricey side ($16).

But, I thought the color was a beautiful match to the Color City Matte blush I received with the bag this month and probably will keep them as a combo throughout the spring.

 

Pop Beauty comes from the UK and offers a lot of makeup options, from eyes to face, you may want to check it out, but until then, here are the other colors available for this line of lip lacquers:

 

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J-Cat - False Eyelashes - No grade

Full Size - $3.99

 

 



 

 

The "no grade" for this product is solely based on the fact that I do not wear false eyelashes and have no use for this item. That being said, they do look pretty cool, they re just not for me. The pack come with its own glue (that itself is scary enough to keep me away from the stuff).

I know a lot of girls wear false eyelashes nowadays, it does look pretty cool on some, but I am sorry to say that on others, it's just plain unattractive (don't kill me for that, it's just a matter of preference).

If anybody wants this sample, I will gladly mail it to you (for real!) - just inbox me in the personal email widget on the side bar (right) - first come first served!

 

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Phyto - C - Velvet Gel - B-

Full Size - $125

 

 

 

This was a "meh" item for me. I was at first excited to receive it (that was of course after I was able to decipher the tiny print on the back of the box). I had read a few reviews that rated it as a great skin prep/serum. However, I found nothing amazing about it myself. It's just a serum that is very tacky to the touch in manner of aloe vera gel. I used the entire vial and did not notice anything new or different on my skin. Maybe it just needs to have more work time to demonstrate its effectiveness, but with that price tag, I am just not going to tempt it.

 

Phyto - C website describes its key benefits as:

 

• Improves the combination of rebounding cells and collagens
• Provides an extraordinary nutrition for cell skin repair
• Catalyzes enzyme metabolism and maintains the health of skin
• Dilates the blood capillaries under the skin and increases blood circulation
• Regulates skin cell separation and renewal process
• Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Nourishes, hydrates and softens skin

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And that will conclude the review for my first Ipsy bag. Overall, I give this bag an A- . Aside from the false eyelashes I will not use and the serum that was not as good as expected I was very happy with the makeup items and am looking forward to my next bag!

 

if you want to get your own Ipsy subscription, remember to use this referral link.

Want to see the video? Check it out below:

 



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Sophia, NJ.

*My blog contains affiliate advertising for which I receive a small commission when you purchase from the links provided. I was not solicited to review any of the products mentioned. All opinions are my own.