Subscription Showdown: February 2017

Hello friends! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's been feeling particularly spring-like in these parts and I'm loving every single second of it. There's definitely a part of me that's a little perturbed by the fact that it was 70 degrees in Connecticut before the end of February, but as someone who hates cold weather I really can't complain. Anywho, back to the reason you're here! It's time yet again to unbox some beauty goodies and see which of my $10 monthly subscriptions brought their A-game.

For those of you that are new to these parts, I'm a huge fan of monthly subscription boxes and have tried quite a few different ones over the years (you can see which ones here). At the current moment the only two beauty subscriptions I'm receiving are Ipsy and Sephora Play, both of which are $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe sized beauty samples. While these two subs seem pretty identical on paper, they do each have their own unique flair. And that's why I created this series! Not only am I personally nosy and love seeing what other people are getting in their bags, but I also want to give you some perspective on the kinds of products you can expect to receive from each of these subs so you can figure out which one might be best for you!

Subscription Showdown | January 2017

Oooh snap, it's FINALLY time for a throwdown! Both of my monthly beauty subscriptions came while I was in LA for Generation Beauty, but I'm home and ready to unbox (unbag?) them both for you all. If you're new around these parts, Subscription Showdown is a series I film over on my YouTube channel where I compare my Ipsy Glambag and Sephora Play box. Both subscriptions only cost $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe-sized samples that are tailored to your unique beauty profile. Over the years I've discovered so many amazing products through both of these services, so its hard to pick an overall favorite. Instead, I just take things month by month to let you know which one is my personal victor. Curious to see which of these subs stole my heart this month? Just keep on reading!

Subscription Showdown | November 2016

Hey friends! It's time for another Subscription Showdown. For those of you not already familiar with this series on my YouTube channel, every month I sit down and unbox my Ipsy Glambag and Sephora Play box so I can show you how they stack up against one another. Each subscription is only $10 a month and contains 5 deluxe beauty samples, so I'm always curious to see whether one outshines the other. Want to see how these two beauty subs threw down this month? Keep on reading!

September 2015 Glambag

In keeping with tradition, I once again am wrapping up my monthly subscriptions with my Ipsy Glambag review. I feel like I always get my bag sort of late in the month and am scrambling to try everything out before the next one has begun. Alas, here it is October already and I'm just getting around to writing my review. Perhaps I should be a little more zen and accept that this just the way it's going to go, but my ultimate goal is to have all of my stuff reviewed in the month I get it. Is this just a me thing, or do my fellow beauty bloggers also understand the struggle?

Putting my lack of timeliness aside, let's jump into the goodies from this month's bag. September's theme was Face Fashion, no doubt inspired by New York Fashion Week and all of the buzz around next year's spring trends. I'm not sure how fashion forward any of the products I got were, but the bag they came in was definitely super cute. Let's take a closer look!

August 2015 Ipsy Glambag

As per the usual, it's time to round up the last of this month's subscription reviews with my Ipsy Glambag. This month's theme was "prep school" which has me nostalgic for my college days and all the hustle and bustle of an impending new semester. I certainly don't miss the stress of exams and essays, but the opportunity to try and learn and explore is something I don't think I fully appreciated way back when. So before I go off on a wistful tangent, lets get back to beauty. I think Ipsy always does a pretty great job of finding products that fit with their theme, as these beauty staples would all be perfect for getting in that back-to-school mindset. Let's take a closer look!

July 2015 Glambag

Hey everyone! This month is FLYING by. Seriously, I can't believe there's less than a week left. I've realized I've been slacking a bit with my subscription box reviews this month, so I wanted to make sure I got them in before August is here and well under way. My Birchbox shipped out SUPER late this month because of a hold up with the Plus item that I added on, which means my Glambag has had my full attention in the past few weeks. Product wise July's selection was sort of middle of the road for me, but I'm totally digging the vibrant sort of tribal print of the bag. Let's take a look.

June 2015 Glambag

As June has come and gone it's time to finally round up the last of my monthly posts with my Glambag review. Things have been solidly better in the Ipsy world over the last couple of months, and I'm generally feeling pretty pleased with my decision to stick with my subscription (things were getting a bit dicey towards the end of last year). The theme this month is "Swim into Beauty", and while nothing I got was really waterproof or pool friendly, there was definitely some good stuff packed inside that little cosmetics bag. Let's take a peek inside, shall we?

May 2015 Glambag

I know I'm a little late in the game with writing up reviews of all my May subscriptions, but it has been the craziest of months. Between working late and post-work commitments my free hours to blog have been sparse. I'm not entirely sure June will be much better, but here's to hoping!

The last subscription related post to cross off my list is my Ipsy Glambag. This month's theme was Jetsetter - offering a selection of products that are perfect for making you look great on-the-go, and that are also totally travel friendly. I think Ipsy actually did a pretty great job of selecting products that fit with the theme (which isn't always necessarily the case).

April 2015 Glambag

Spring is the perfect season to sport breezy, funky, flowy bohemian fashion, so Ipsy is totally on point with their April Glambag theme. With all the hype around Coachella I'm sure that more people are taking trips to Free People and Anthropologie than ever. While my personal style is more "Bohemian Light", I'm totally loving this month's bag (even if I have sort of mixed feelings about the stuff that's packed inside of it).

March 2015 Glambag

Spring has sprung over at Ipsy, with this month's theme being inspired by the colors and textures delicate flowers and lush blooms. Did the products I received have me feeling fresh as a flower? Take a closer look!

February 2015 Glambag

It's February and this month Ipsy is showing us the love with pretty makeup and pampering treats tucked inside of this adorable geometrically patterned bag. Did I end up being smitten with any of the products I received? Read more to find out.

January 2015 Glambag

A fresh start. I certainly applaud the idea, Ipsy. The beginning of a new year is for most of us the perfect time to mentally start a new chapter in our day to day life. Most of the time I'm not really sure how the products I get in my Glambag relate to the monthly theme, but I think this time it's a much more understandable fit. Let me show you what I got!

December 2014 Glambag

Happy Sunday, friends! It's been a particularly cozy (and snowy) weekend here in New England, which has provided me plenty of time to work on lots of fun blog things. Apparently a blizzard is headed our way tomorrow, which only would be appreciated if it means I don't have to go to work on Tuesday. An extra day of snuggling up on the couch sounds pretty much like the best thing ever.

Anyway, this post FINALLY finishes out my 2014 subscription box reviews! It's not to say that I haven't loved writing about my November and December goodies, I'm just excited to get to talking about January (even though there's only a week of it left). So, on to my Glambag! Ipsy's December Glambag theme was Thinking of You - letting all of us loyal subscribers know how loved and appreciated we are by everyone at Ipsy. The 5 products I received were a nice mixture of haircare, skincare, and makeup, and came in a little black nylon bag, with a heart charm adorned zipper. Here's a quick breakdown of what I got to play with:

• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
• NYX Butter Lip Balm in Parfait
• Nourish Organic Renewing Eye Cream
• Pixi Fairy Dust in Brightening Bare
• Coolway Boost Repair Treatment

November 2014 Glambag

While I'm still having generally grumbly feelings about Ipsy, this month's bag was one of the better ones I've had in a while. November's theme was Gal Meets Glitter, which sort of confused me in terms of the products I received. The bag was super sparkly, but everything else was sort of neutral and subdued. This isn't very different from most months, though, where I feel like the only thing that sort of follows the theme at all is the bag. Anyway, here's a quick look at what I received this month:

October 2014 Ipsy Glambag

I am THE WORST when it comes to posting my Glambag reviews in any kind of timely manner. Or, at least, it certainly feels that way. I tend to get my Glambags toward the end of the month, which always makes it harder to properly try things and get my post up before the month it's for is over. And this month in particular I had an extra hang up that delayed things even further. One of my products (the Nicole by OPI nail polish) was mysteriously missing from my pink bubble wrap package, and I had to be shipped a replacement (which Ipsy was actually pretty prompt about).

Moreso, I confess I just don't find myself as excited to get my Glambags as I used to, which probably also contributes to my writing apathy. I feel so guilty saying that, because a year ago I was totally smitten with all things Ipsy. But now I feel like it's that friend I've grown apart from and see once in a while out of a weird sense of obligation.

Why the change of heart? I suppose there are a few things that, in over a year of being a subscriber, have slowly started to disappoint me. First off, there is a TON of brand repetition. Starlooks, Be a Bombshell, Cailyn Cosmetics, Zoya, J.Cat Beauty - if you've been a subscriber for 6 months, I'd be hard pressed to see you haven't received at least one product from these brands. Now, don't get me wrong, if I love a brand I'm all for trying more than one product from the line. But part of what makes a beauty subscription so fun is the element of discovery, and when I've gotten many products from the same 5 or 6 brands in a year, I start to get a little bored. And when I get 3 or 4 products from a brand I don't care from, I start to get irritated.

Speaking of brands, I'm generally less impressed with the brands frequented in my Glambags than I've been with other subscriptions. I understand that with a $10 price tag it's reasonable to see a lot more drugstore quality cosmetics (which don't get me wrong, I also am a fan of), but I think the specific products I've been receiving lately just haven't brought the wow factor the way they have in the past.

Needless to say, I have a lot of thoughts on being an Ipsy subscriber, and for the sake of getting on with my actual review, I will cut myself off here. However, I am considering cancelling my subscription by the end of the year, and should that be the case, I'm sure there will be more ranting to be had.

MOVING ON!

September 2014 Glambag

Good morning, friends! I know I've been quiet in the past couple of weeks, but mainly it's because I've been spending the majority of my free time lately with my nose in a book. As much as I love blogging, I also love reading, and every once in a while I need some time away from my laptop and to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of internet life. You can also blame the Birchbox Book Club, because their September book, Big Little Lies, was particularly enthralling. My hope is to write up a review this weekend!

But anyway, it's about time that I get back to business (the most fun kind of business, of course) and round up the last of my unfinished September posts. First on my list is to give you the run down on my Glambag from last month. Take a look!

Glambag August 2014

The summer is drawing to a close, and for several of you out there that means school is back in session. For a working girl like myself not much changes in my life from August to September, with the exception that my commute is made longer by many a school bus. Still, that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate Ipsy's latest Glambag and feel nostalgic for the days of lockers and dorm rooms. Here's a breakdown of what I got in this month's "Beauty Schooled" bag.

March 2014 Glambag

Today is a good day.

The sun is shining, the temperature outside is nearing 60 degrees, and I am currently taking a lunch break during what has been a much needed spring cleaning rampage. Yesterday I threw out three trashbags worth of random junk that was left over after reorganizing the closets in my bedroom.

Three.

And that was just one room.

I don't know about you, but I always feel a million times more relaxed when my house is clean. It never seems to stay that way for long, despite my best efforts. But in fairness, it's much easier to make a mess than it is to clean it up.

Aside from my tidying to-do list, I also have quite a lengthy blogging to-do list to get working on. One of the first things I realized is that I never reviewed my March Glambag. I'm pretty terrible about being timely about these kinds of things.

This month subscribers received four, rather than the usual five products, although considering what they were, I'm not complaining all that much.

February 2014 Glambag

As per the usual, I'm a bit fashionably late with my February Glambag post. This month was all about creating the Look of Love, just in time for Valentine's day. I had high hopes for this month's products, but ultimately was a bit let down by the quality of some of the items I received. Let me break it down for you.

January 2014 Glambag

I'm not entirely sure why, but I feel like this particular review has been taking me forever to write. I think with all of this subscription box catch-up I've been in crazy product testing mode, to the point where I'm almost a bit overwhelmed. Alas, I've somehow managed to plow through and here it finally is - catch up post #4, my January 2014 Glambag review. I have mixed feelings about the products this month, ranging from absolute love, to neutral disinterest. Let's break it down.