Ipsy Glam Bag December 2015 Review - For You With Love From Ipsy

My Ipsy Glam Bag has arrived for the month of December, and while I do love receiving my subscription boxes, some are less exciting for me than others. This is one of those cases. While the value is usually really good, the products just don’t fit me and my beauty routine as well as others, and I’ve even retaken the beauty profile quiz a few times. I do see that other people are receiving items I’d prefer, so I keep holding on and hoping that Ipsy turns it around for me. Ipsy is a monthly subscription that sends out five sample and full size beauty items in a themed makeup bag. That is all for only $10 a month. I do like that Ipsy delivers full size items, especially for a $10 subscription, but if those full size items aren’t something I would use, then it just isn’t worth it for me. 

This month’s theme is To You From Ipsy With Love. This month, the Ipsy team wants to give thanks and appreciation to all the Ipsy subscribers, because without us, they wouldn’t be the company they are today. That is a nice theme, but I think it would be better suited for November or February. Their themes aren’t always the best, and their products don’t really go with the theme all that well either, so I guess it doesn’t matter. The only thing that is impacted by the theme is the makeup bag, which I have to say is a different shape for the first time since I’ve received this bag. I don’t love the bag, but I do love the shape. I hope that this is a sign of new and cooler bags to come.

This month’s bag looks interesting. There isn’t anything that really fills the bag, but I do see an assortment of items, which includes some brands I’ve never heard of before. I really enjoy seeing new brands, but what I really like is seeing products from companies I already know and adore. I also see an item like that, too. All these different shapes and sizes gets me really excited to see what each of them hold. I can’t wait to try each of these items out and maybe fall in love with some new products or companies.

Pacifica Power Of Love Natural Lipstick in Nudie Red

$10.00 - 0.07 oz    (Full Size!)

I am already a huge fan of Pacifica, and when I saw this lipstick spoiler a few weeks ago, I was really excited to try it out. First off, this lipstick is super smooth. I hate when products dry out my lips, but this actually does the opposite. It goes on nice a moisturizing, but it also stays that way for hours. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best shade for me. It is a little too dark and mauve. If I were to go with a dark lip, I would need it to be a hip color, otherwise, I just don’t look like myself. Also, people complain about the scent of their products. Honestly, it isn’t my favorite, but it doesn’t bother me like many other people. I really like this product, but I am bummed about the color. I guess I will have to pass this product along to a friend. Oh, well.

Befine Exfoliating Cleanser with Brown Sugar

$10.00 - 1.5 oz    ($6.67 Value)

Out of all the items in this month’s bag, I am most excited about this one in particular. I really enjoy face cleansers, moisturizers, serums, really anything to help my completion. Recently, I’ve been struggling with acne and red blotchiness on my face. I’ve become an avid face washer since then, and I’ve noticed a big difference in just cleaning and scrubbing away dirt and dead skin. This scrub is made with brown sugar, sweet almond, and oats. These ingredients are both all natural and great for your skin. I tried this out, and it worked really well. I felt newly refreshed and overall clean. It did dry out my skin a little, but that wasn’t anything moisturizer couldn’t help with. I do really like this product, and I would be interested in trying out other items from their line. This is also a pretty great sample size, and it will last me about a month if I use it sparingly.

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eye Primer

$20.00 - 0.35 oz    ($9.71 Value)

I have so many eyeshadow primers, and I seriously use them maybe once a month when I am really doing my makeup big and I want it to stick. The ones in the past I’ve used seem like they work. I do wear a lot of loose powder, so they do make my makeup stick and stay. I do notice some fall, but that is expected, especially with shimmer. This one comes in a really cute tube, and the brand is definitely appealing. I was actually really excited about this until I saw it was another primer. It did work really well, and helped my eye makeup stay in place. I also noticed that it gave my eyes a nice dewy sheen, so I could also just wear that alone if I were trying for the natural look. Overall, this product is nice, but it isn’t something that I love or would use on a regular basis. I feel like there is a trend here. These are all nice products, just not the best ones for me.

RickyCare Mini Egg 3D Blender Sponge

$8.00 - 2 sponges    ($4.00 Value)

This 3D blender is much like the beauty blender I’ve been send by Birchbox. I know that those are really popular beauty tools, and people love them to blend in their foundation with their highlighter and bronzer. For me, I use a lot of powders, because it helps dry up my oily face, so these tools aren’t really my go to. I much prefer brushes or even using my hands. Once in a while, though, I will pull out my Beauty Blender for those nights that I want to look my best. This particular one seems cheaper than the original, but the price is also much cheaper. I gave this a try, and it works like I’d expect. This is a good product for those of you that don’t want to spend top dollar, but want to get the same results. For me, this beauty tool will probably get used less than the name brand product, but this was nice to try. Maybe I’ll pass it along to one of my makeup loving friends.

FORMULA X Nail Polish in Revved Up

$10.50 - 0.4 oz    ($3.41 Value)

So, my beauty profile specifies that I do not care for nail products. I am not one to really paint my nails all that often, and I’d prefer skin products, so I made sure to not check off that box. Ipsy doesn’t pay too much attention to that, because this is one of many nail polishes I’ve received as a two year subscriber. The shocking part, I actually really like this. It is a nice natural color with a load of shimmer, which is perfect for me. I like that it doesn’t draw too much attention, but the color is still really festive. I already have a gold outfit picked out for the New Years, and this nail polish will go along perfectly. I do like this nail polish brand, too, and they really have every color under the sun. It is also a pretty great value. I am surprised, but Ipsy, you finally made me smile. So, thank you for not listening.

Overall, Ipsy failed me once again. I really won’t use the blender, the lipstick is too dark, and the eyeshadow primer is just an extra step that I really can’t afford most mornings. I do have to say, I really like the nail polish, and the small size means it might actually get used up. Another thing, that face scrub works wonders, and I really like the natural ingredients. This month’s bag is worth $33.79. That is pretty great, and it also doesn’t include the value of the makeup bag. Ever since Ipsy advertised their $50 plus value on each months goodies, I haven’t hit that mark, which makes me a little upset. You can’t advertise something like that when it’s not true. Oh, well.

If you would like to try Ipsy for yourself, just click here. It is a great value and makes a great gift. Even though it isn’t the best subscription for me, it may be the perfect one for you.