Hi friends,
Ipsy never ceases to amaze me with the selection they send my way every month. For $10 (shipping included) you simply cannot beat this sample subscription. I say it all the time, it is like Christmas, each and every month, opening a new bag and discovering new brands and products I did not even know existed and the December bag was no exception.
You can begin your own subscription by clicking the link provided here. Further, when you are an Ipsy subscriber, you will earn points through reviews, which allow you to customize your monthly bag even further in addition to earning points when other new subscribers get their own bag through your links...points = new products you can redeem for free on the Ipsy site. It truly is a great program.
Here is the bag I received for December 2014:
It was loaded with a wide selection of hair, face and makeup samples, so let's dive right into the review, which I keep as objective as possible.
You may want to check out the opening box video first:
1. Pixi - Fairy Dust by Petra - $10
This is a negative - I am sorry, this stuff sucks. And it seems that, so far, no Pixi product has been able to win me over.
For start, I absolutely hate the packaging. It comes as a wand in a tube type powder which I find to be incredibly wasteful both with regards to the powder that falls all over the place as well as the powder left in the container which you will never be able to reach with the wand, ever! I am not sure what Pixi is thinking with regards to their packaging but seriously, someone needs to get re-assigned to a different department.
Then there is the color. This is supposed to be an eye brightener and sparkle mac-thingy. First, there is no sparkle, I am not sure how you can call something "Pixie Dust" and have not a hint of glitter in it. Second, this is not brightening at all, in fact, and on my fair skin, it gave me the look of tired, depressed and just plain beat up by life in general look. The color I received is called Bare - Medium Beige. It is a terrible muddy yellow color that dreams to be a beige. It is not. Terrible product. It's making it to the Hall of Shame by my book. F.
2. NYX Butter - Lip Balm - $4
"Dip your lips in a sheer wash of color with NYX Butter Lip Balm. One swipe leaves dry lips feeling supple and hydrated." (Quoted from Ipsy Website)
Completely fell in love with this lip balm! The formula is wonderful, not too waxy, glides on nice, it is moisturizing without being gooey, smells great ( a mix of vanilla and honey). The color I received (Parfait) is a beautiful fuchsia with a blue undertone which is sure to correct the look of yellow teeth. It is very similar to the CoverGirl Lipslicks Smoochies in Selfie
. It also has good color pay off for a tinted lip balm and stays on for a while. Maybe three applications per day at best. Love it and super cheap. I am recommending this product if you are in the market for a tinted lip balm. A+.
Here are the other available colors:
3. Tarte - Light - Camera - Lashes Masacara - $20
4. Bumble & Bumble - B Straigth - Blow Dry Cream - $30
So, let's talk about my hair. It's curly, frizzy, totally unreasonable and unmanageable. I can straighten it with a blow dryer, or a flat iron and maybe it will stay straight for 48 hours, and that is in optimal - as in no humidity - conditions. This is a pomade, gel-like formula you add to your hair prior to blow drying. I liked the scent, I thought it did an okay job but if you put too much in one area, and you have thick hair, the stuff makes it hard to comb through. My hair also lost some of its bounce as a result of using this product, perhaps because I used to much. Otherwise, it is okay when in a pinch. Unfortunately for me, I fuss with my hair way too much and could not stand having the stuff in it so I washed my hair again on day 2 - meaning that I cannot vouch for the 2-3 day straight claim. I have used better products in the past. B.
5. Nourish Organic - Avocado Eye Cream - $30
I was very excited about receiving this product sample since I am such an eye cream junkie. Unfortunately, this formula did not work out for me. I found it to be too fluid and difficult to work through. The stuff literally stayed on top of my eyes and would not penetrate/absorb unless I went over it again and again with my fingers. To be honest, it ruined the experience for me, you are supposed to protect this area of your skin by gently patting down the cream and avoiding stretching the skin and therefore creating more wrinkles. This did the opposite for me. It is however, a good emollient. So if you are brand new at using eye cream, maybe you want to give it a try, but if you are like me, in your mid 40s and over, know that this cream, while moisturizing and nourishing, is not well formulated for sensitive and delicate skin. I am currently using it as a hand cream in the evening, since it was such a big size sample. C+.
Thank you so much for reading my blog and watching my YouTube videos! Share the love!Ipsy never ceases to amaze me with the selection they send my way every month. For $10 (shipping included) you simply cannot beat this sample subscription. I say it all the time, it is like Christmas, each and every month, opening a new bag and discovering new brands and products I did not even know existed and the December bag was no exception.
You can begin your own subscription by clicking the link provided here. Further, when you are an Ipsy subscriber, you will earn points through reviews, which allow you to customize your monthly bag even further in addition to earning points when other new subscribers get their own bag through your links...points = new products you can redeem for free on the Ipsy site. It truly is a great program.
Here is the bag I received for December 2014:
 |
| Ipsy Glam Bag - December 2014 |
It was loaded with a wide selection of hair, face and makeup samples, so let's dive right into the review, which I keep as objective as possible.
You may want to check out the opening box video first:
1. Pixi - Fairy Dust by Petra - $10
 |
| Image Source |
"Elevate & transform your eye in a few fairy seconds with this glimmering dust. Loose pigments add a lit-up high shine finish to lids, reminding you what wishes are truly made of!" (Quoted from Ipsy Website)
This is a negative - I am sorry, this stuff sucks. And it seems that, so far, no Pixi product has been able to win me over.
For start, I absolutely hate the packaging. It comes as a wand in a tube type powder which I find to be incredibly wasteful both with regards to the powder that falls all over the place as well as the powder left in the container which you will never be able to reach with the wand, ever! I am not sure what Pixi is thinking with regards to their packaging but seriously, someone needs to get re-assigned to a different department.
Then there is the color. This is supposed to be an eye brightener and sparkle mac-thingy. First, there is no sparkle, I am not sure how you can call something "Pixie Dust" and have not a hint of glitter in it. Second, this is not brightening at all, in fact, and on my fair skin, it gave me the look of tired, depressed and just plain beat up by life in general look. The color I received is called Bare - Medium Beige. It is a terrible muddy yellow color that dreams to be a beige. It is not. Terrible product. It's making it to the Hall of Shame by my book. F.
2. NYX Butter - Lip Balm - $4
 |
| Image Source |
"Dip your lips in a sheer wash of color with NYX Butter Lip Balm. One swipe leaves dry lips feeling supple and hydrated." (Quoted from Ipsy Website)
Completely fell in love with this lip balm! The formula is wonderful, not too waxy, glides on nice, it is moisturizing without being gooey, smells great ( a mix of vanilla and honey). The color I received (Parfait) is a beautiful fuchsia with a blue undertone which is sure to correct the look of yellow teeth. It is very similar to the CoverGirl Lipslicks Smoochies in Selfie
. It also has good color pay off for a tinted lip balm and stays on for a while. Maybe three applications per day at best. Love it and super cheap. I am recommending this product if you are in the market for a tinted lip balm. A+.Here are the other available colors:
 |
| Image Source |
3. Tarte - Light - Camera - Lashes Masacara - $20
Image Source
"Like a pushup bra for your lashes, tarte’s best-selling mascara lengthens, curls, volumizes and conditions to deliver a 330% increase in lash volume instantly. The high-performance formula is also infused with naturally-derived olive esters to help nourish and protect lashes." (Quoted from Ipsy Website)I am still working with this mascara, overall I think I like it. It is a bit too wet for me as far as the formula is concerned so I need to take my time when applying it otherwise the stuff gets all over my eyelids. That being said, I like the brush, it is made of natural bristles, a classic brush ALL companies should stick with (seriously, enough with the plastic gimmicks already!). This one is jet black. You can also purchase a Fiber wand for an additional $19 to give you the look of false lashes. Personally, this one does the job at extending my lashes, though it is a bit thick. So in all fairness, I would say it is a good mascara but nothing extraordinary. B.
4. Bumble & Bumble - B Straigth - Blow Dry Cream - $30
"Make short work of smoothing and frizz-fighting rituals with this heat-protective styling balm that keeps blow dries soft and sleek for up to 3 days. To create your perfect style, work evenly through damp hair then blow-dry with your favorite Bb.Brush. Start small (try a dime-sized amount) then build as necessary."(Quoted from Ipsy Website).
So, let's talk about my hair. It's curly, frizzy, totally unreasonable and unmanageable. I can straighten it with a blow dryer, or a flat iron and maybe it will stay straight for 48 hours, and that is in optimal - as in no humidity - conditions. This is a pomade, gel-like formula you add to your hair prior to blow drying. I liked the scent, I thought it did an okay job but if you put too much in one area, and you have thick hair, the stuff makes it hard to comb through. My hair also lost some of its bounce as a result of using this product, perhaps because I used to much. Otherwise, it is okay when in a pinch. Unfortunately for me, I fuss with my hair way too much and could not stand having the stuff in it so I washed my hair again on day 2 - meaning that I cannot vouch for the 2-3 day straight claim. I have used better products in the past. B.
5. Nourish Organic - Avocado Eye Cream - $30
 |
| Image Soure |
"Nourish Organic Renewing Eye Cream provides rich hydration to the delicate skin around the eyes. This powerful product will leave your eyes looking brighter, smoother and younger looking." (Quoted from Ipsy Website)
I was very excited about receiving this product sample since I am such an eye cream junkie. Unfortunately, this formula did not work out for me. I found it to be too fluid and difficult to work through. The stuff literally stayed on top of my eyes and would not penetrate/absorb unless I went over it again and again with my fingers. To be honest, it ruined the experience for me, you are supposed to protect this area of your skin by gently patting down the cream and avoiding stretching the skin and therefore creating more wrinkles. This did the opposite for me. It is however, a good emollient. So if you are brand new at using eye cream, maybe you want to give it a try, but if you are like me, in your mid 40s and over, know that this cream, while moisturizing and nourishing, is not well formulated for sensitive and delicate skin. I am currently using it as a hand cream in the evening, since it was such a big size sample. C+.
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So, this was my complete review for the latest Ipsy Glam Bag (December 2014) I received.Was it a good bag? Absolutely!
Regardless of how I feel about the products I receive, I am always interested and most often excited to try new ones. It really was too bad the eye cream did not work for me, but it is still a good cream.
Sophia, NJ
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