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
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.
Full Size: 0.24 oz ($20)
Sample Size: 0.1 oz ($8.33)
In all of my time blogging, I think this mascara is the one I've seen most universally sampled. I've probably gone through at least 3 or 4 tubes before I got this one, although I must say that it's been a little while since I've last tried it. I do think it's a pretty solid formula, adding lots of length, volume and definition. The brush is not my absolute favorite, and can be a little tricky to work with comparatively. However, I won't complain about having another one of these in my stash!
This Buttery Lip Balm is addictively soft and scrumptious and perfect for adding a subtle hint of color for a naturally flirtatious pout. Apply directly to bare lips or apply it over lip liner for more intense color.
Full Size: 0.14 oz ($4)
When it comes to drugstore cosmetics, NYX is by far one of my favorite brands. They do so many things well. However, I was seriously not impressed with this lip balm. Butter glosses? Fabulous. Butter Lip Balms? Not so much. I found the color on this to be way too barbie doll pink, and the texture to feel sort of cheap and greasy. This very much reminded me of the kind of chapstick I might have loved in middle school. Considering the price tag I don't even feel guilty passing this one right on to the trash can.
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.
Full Size: 0.5 oz ($19.99)
I really need to try to be more consistent about using eye creams. Of all skincare its the one product I can't seem to get hooked on. This organic formula was actually quite lightweight compared to other eye creams I've tried and offered a decent amount of hydration. After having looked at the Nourish Organic website it appears that they've reformulated and rebranded this product. It looks like we've received the full size of the outdated version (which is probably why the company was looking to give them away in the first place). So, for those of you looking to purchase this again in the future, you may notice some differences from the sample you received.
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!
Full Size: 0.2 oz ($10)
Pixi is one of those brands that I want to like, but am still sort of on the fence about. I appreciate the whole fairy inspiration, and I think they have a nice lineup of products. I just have yet to fall in love with any of them. This one is unfortunately not an exception. While this particular product is classified as a shimmering loose eyeshadow powder, I didn't find it to really be shimmery at all. It was more of a satin-y warm toned brown. I think the pigment itself is nice - very soft, natural, and easy to wear - but I HATE this kind of applicator. No matter how careful you are almost always guaranteed to get powder everywhere, and the sponge tip is just not (in my opinion) the easiest thing to work and blend with. If these were in pots without an applicator I think I'd like them much better.
Boost Repair infuses moisture into your hair and locks it in with a unique blend of Silk Protein and Botanical extracts, providing silky-smooth, shiny, frizz-free hair that will hold for days. Clinically tested to reduce hair breakage by 75% and strengthen hair up to four times.
Full Size: 8.0 oz ($29.95)
Sample Size: 1.0 oz ($3.75)
Unlike a lot of hair masks, which can be thick and heavy, this repairing treatment was really lightweight and immediately sank into the hair shaft. With my hair being long, I needed quite a bit of product to cover my whole head, but even if I don't get more than 2 or 3 uses out of this sample the end results still make me entirely happy. This stuff makes your hair SO sleek and smooth, and the effect lasts for days (even through another wash or two). Even though I'm not lacking in hair products, I was really quite impressed with this and might just need to buy the full size!
At first I think I wasn't all that excited about this bag, but I actually ended up being more happy with it than I thought. The Coolway Boost Repair is by far the standout this month, as I did notice that it made an immediate difference in the texture of my hair. The NYX Butter Lip Balm was kind of a giant fail, but I suppose duds do happen now and again. My total bag value rings in at $46.07, which is pretty darn good for the $10 I spent.
Interested in becoming an Ipsy subscriber? Join using my referral link to let them know I sent you their way! You can also read all of my previous Glambag reviews to see more of the types of products you could receive.
