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!
October's theme was Beauty Candy, which we've all probably consumed quite a bit of with Halloween having just recently passed. I was actually pretty good this year comparatively. Saying I have a sweet tooth is a bit of an understatement. I think I have a second stomach entirely for dessert. Seriously, no matter how full I am, there is always room for chocolate. Now I'm just making myself hungry.
Ahem. Anyway...
I received 5 beauty treats tucked inside a teal cosmetics bag with a pillowed pattern.
- épicé Purifying Exfoliant
- Figs & Rouge Rose Berry Hand Cream
- Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquer
- Model Co VolumEYES Mascara
- Starlooks Lip Gloss
Now that I've had a chance to try them all, here are my first thoughts!
épicé Purifying Exfoliant ($32.00)
Sample Value, $9.70
Ever since I discovered Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream I've been extra picky with my facial exfoliators. Once you discover a Holy Grail product everything else starts to pale in comparison. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this product. It's got a very similar texture and creamy feel, and it doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped or irritated. While the price points are similar ($32 for this versus $35 for Caudalie) there is over an ounce more product in the full size of the épicé. When it comes to repurchasing time I don't know if I'd go for this scrub over the Caudalie, but I will definitely add this sample into my regular rotation so I'll go through both more slowly.
Figs & Rouge Hand Cream in Rose Berry ($6.56)
Travel Size (20 ml)
I'm a bit torn when it comes to this handcream. The packaging is quite adorable, with its bright, cheery floral pattern. However, the actual product itself is a bit weird. It has the strangest wet texture when you're rubbing it in that sort of makes me feel like my hands are sweating. It eventually skins in and feels pretty silky, although I do notice some greasiness on my fingers when I'm trying to type or write after using this. The scent is also not my favorite. I enjoy rose, and I also enjoy berry, but something about this particular combination smells artificial in an off-putting kind of way. Considering the giant stockpile of hand cream I have at home, I might try to find this a new owner who will give more appreciation.
Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Feeling Very Cherry ($6.99)
Once again, another on-the-fence product. I enjoy OPI products, although I don't think they have the best formula on the market. Nicole by OPI is a slightly less expensive sister brand to OPI and I find the durability of their polishes to be less impressive than OPIs. I absolutely LOVE this color, which is a deep black-red creme. It just unfortunately only lasts a few days without chips, which are super noticeable on such bold nails.
Model CO VolumEyes Mascara ($20.00)
Sample Value (?$10.00)
I searched everywhere on this product for size information so I could figure out the value of this sample, but it was nowhere to be found. I'm going to assume it's about half the size of a full-sized mascara. This was a solid formula, although nothing amazing. It added some length, definition, and volume to my lashes, but still appeared on the natural looking side for a volumizing mascara. Personally I'm all about the wow factor when it comes to mascara, especially if I'm doing a bold, smokey eye. For the day to day when my eye makeup is minimal this certainly gets the job done, although I have noticed it does smudge a little bit throughout the course of the day on my bottom lashes.
Starlooks Lip Gloss in Guilty Pleasure ($12.00)
Sample Value (?$4.00)
Once again, I have NO idea how many ounces of product are in this teeny (and adorable) lipgloss sample. I'm going to ballpark it to a third of the full size based on pictures, but I could totally be lying to you. Starlooks is one of the Glambag frequenters I spoke about earlier, however I've generally been pretty happy with all of the products I've tried. This lipgloss is no exception. It's a sheer, cool-toned pink that I think would look gorgeous with a smokey eye, or a natural no-makeup-makeup look. It's creamy without any stickiness and smells like vanilla frosting. Of everything in my bag, this one hits the Beauty Candy theme right on the head.
For all of my earlier ranting, this bag wasn't terrible. The exfoliating scrub and Starlooks lip gloss were totally worth my $10. And even though it wasn't very chip resistant, Very Cherry is a totally gorgeous nail color. I'm going to set my bag value at $37.25, although I really can't say for sure without being able to determine the value of two of my products. This month's bag is also pretty cute. While vinyl may not be my favorite finish, it's definitely practical. This would be great for stashing beauty products or other small toiletries in and throwing into a beach bag. Oh the beach...I just had a moment of summertime nostalgia.
Sigh.
Are you a Glambag subscriber? What did you think of your October bag? Any awesome products you received?
