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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Ipsy - Glam Bag - May 2014 Review

Hi friends,

I don't know what happened with Ipsy this past May, but it was a "meh" bag for me! This is not about the bag itself, I thought that all the sample were quality products (except perhaps for the eyeshadow duo), and I was still very excited to receive and try them. I just felt this was outside the box bag for Ipsy, way too many face items, not enough makeup.




Ipsy Glam bag - May 2014

For those of you not familiar with Ipsy , it is a subscription cosmetic sample bag.  Every month, and for a mere $10 (shipping included), you would receive up to 5 items in deluxe/travel size and always a full size (or two). Personally, I think this is a great deal and even when the bag itself on any given month is not awesome, there is always something in it that makes it all worthy. This month, I just felt there were too many items I would not use on a regular basis and only one makeup, I will start with that:

1. Pacifica - Eye Shadow Duo - $7- $14


The Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo are coconut infused mineral eye shadows that are a perfect addition to any makeup collection. Packaged in a beautiful travel ready recyclable container, these exclusive duos are customized just for ipsy! These shades can be found in the Pacifica Mystical and Charmed Palette. Smooth application with gorgeous color pay-off. (Text quote from Ipsy Website)



I really like Pacifica as a brand. They are environment conscious and offer a great range of lotions in exotic scents like Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter, which is my favorite. So far, and out of all the Pacifica products I have sample, I never was disappointed. Until this eye shadow duo. This is part of their Mystical Supernatural Eye Shadow Palette collection.

This duo is a nice shade of champagne and dark lavender or light iris. Both shadows are iridescent which is not always wearable for day time. I thought the powder formula was too dry and difficult to apply. And while the color of the purple is simply beautiful, the champagne was too yellow (not enough pink) for my fair skin tone. It also lacked staying power, probably as a result of being so dry. So overall, disappointed by these eyeshadows. B-.


2. Hang Ten - Classic Sport SPF 50 - Lotion - $12.99


Protect and nourish your skin with our clear, lightweight, naturally scented sunscreen. Provides maximum water resistance and full body coverage against harmful UVA/UVB rays.

- Oxybenzone Free, Paraben Free, Retinyl Palmitate Free, Non-Greasy, Non-Nano, Synthetic Fragrance Free 
 (Text quote from Ipsy Website)



I do not wear sunscreen (I know I should) simply because I cannot find one that is wearable for my combination skin. I always find them either too dry or too greasy, too thick or not working at all. This was by Hang Ten was too thick and greasy. While it did the job of protecting the top of my hand from scorching sun damage, it clogged the pores on my face, melted off after a few hours and left me a greasy mess. I did not break out but I could see my pores were significantly more visible after one day of using this in high temperatures and full sun. While this product obviously delivers what it says it delivers, I found yet another excuse not to wear sunscreen. I would rather wear a hat instead. C+.

3. Pur-Lisse - Pur - Moist - Hydra Balance moisurizer. $55


Achieve beautiful balance with the Pur-lisse pur~moist hydra balance moisturizer. Gently smooth over face day or night after cleansing and toning. Glides on like a gel and hydrates like a cream and never greasy. Hydates your skin to create a perfect canvas for makeup application. Dries down to a healthy glow. (Text Quote from Ipsy Website).



This is a lightweight moisturizer with a very fluid formula (almost like a milk lotion). It did a decent job at moisturizing my face but I did not find it to be above average and extraordinary in any way, I certainly did not find that my skin produced a "glow" after using it.  So, for $55 per tube, I would say it is just okay for me. B-.

4. Hey Honey - Take it off - Exfoliating Peel Off mask - $35


Instantly renews skin, leaving it refreshed and clean after only a few minutes. This gel mask helps promote a smooth and clear complexion for a post facial feeling. Take It Off! is quick and easy to use, so exfoliating you can feel beautifully refreshed, radiant and ready to go in just a few minutes.

- Moisturizes with luxurious Honey extract
- Brightens and smooths skin with the exfoliating power of Alpha Hydroxy Acids
- Non-irritating: this mask is on your skin longer than a typical AHA cleanser, therefore theconcentration of AHAs can be lower making it less irritating, but just as effective
- Paraben & S.L.S Free
(Text quote from Ipsy Website).




So here is something funny: I never was lucky with peel off masks. They crumble, they get stuck in my hair, I find them hard to remove for results that are at best similar to every other peel off mask. This one however was amazing. It applied well, it dried relatively quickly without leaving my skin tight and surprisingly, removed in one shot, a real peel off! The results: pores tight, skin brightened, Skin, moisturized, oil removed. I recommend this mask even though it is a bit pricey. A.

5. Balanced Guru - No Frizz Oil - Sesame seed and lemongrass - $13

Balance frizzy hair without the need to weigh it down with silicones. The Balanced Guru No Frizz Organic Sesame and Lemongrass Balancing Oil controls fly aways with a blend of Sesame, Grapeseed, Jojoba and Tamanu Oils. Show your hair who's boss even in humid and tropical weather. By the way, you will also get incredible shine and manageability. (TExt quote from Ipsy Website)




I am always looking or a hair product that would tame my mane. The longer my hair gets, the curlier it is - which makes no sense to me, you would think the length weighs it down. This is a very lightweight oil with an amazing scent. Very fresh, lemony of course as well as nutty. It does a great job and a tiny amount goes a long way. I was impressed with this Balanced Guru product and would consider purchasing a large size once this sample it empty. My hair feels soft and supple after one application and it definitely takes care of the frizz in particular on top of my head and those grays I have here and there that just will not stay in place. A.

So, as you can see, there was a mix of cheers and jeers in this bag hence my not being entirely thrilled with it. I heard a lot of similar reviews online, so i know it's not just me. Quick message to Ipsy - stick with the makeup!


This is the coordinating YouTube video for this bag:






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