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).
Inside my bag I got 4 deluxe sample items and one full-sized eyeliner. I was actually pretty impressed with how well each of them performed, and I'm excited to share my first impressions with you all. Here's a quick breakdown of everything I received:
- Bellápierre Gel Eye Liner in Ebony
- Not Your Mother's Dé Já Vu 'Do Style Extender
- NUXE Rêve de Miel Facial Cleansing and Make-Up Removing Gel
- IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50 in Medium
- Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone
This super creamy mineral gel eyeliner formula provides effortlessly smooth application and intense pigment for amazing coverage and all day wear. Plus it’s waterproof so you’ll definitely be smudge-free!
Full Size, 1.8g ($14.99)
I'm pretty sure the absolute last thing I need in my makeup collection is another black eyeliner pencil. It's not something I wear very frequently (I tend to stick to browns and taupes for everyday wear) and I probably have about 15 different ones already. That being said, I did swatch this liner a few times and it is RIDICULOUSLY waterproof. Like, the swatch on the back of my hand was still untouched after taking a shower waterproof. While I haven't had a chance to actually try this on my waterline yet, I have a feeling it would be fantastic. The pencil itself is really creamy and glides on smooth, and once it sets it honestly doesn't budge. On the flip side, the only worry I have is how easy it would be to take off at the end of the day. The only thing that seemed to actually remove it from my hand was my trusty Ultrabland, and even that took a little effort. This is definitely not the kind of product you can take off with cleanser alone! I also have to say that a quick peek at the ingredients list also made me happy, seeing that it included things like Shea Butter, Vitamin C, Jojoba Oil, and Vitamin E. So, even though black eyeliner isn't the most frequently used product in my beauty arsenal, I actually have some good feelings about this one.
Do you believe in magic? Well, even if you don’t, you’ll believe in Déjà Vu ‘Do. This lightweight cream will ward off any bad hair spirits and cast a clean hair spell (for days!) until your next wash. It will block humidity and repel dirt and oil all while adding body and flexible hold. Made with conditioners for long lasting frizz control and improved shine, and infused with a delicious scent of red apples and berries, this style extending hair primer will keep your ‘do as fresh as it was moments after you styled it.
Full Size, 4 oz ($9)
Sample Size, 1 oz ($2.25)
As soon as I unzipped my glambag, my nose was immediately hit with an amazing, fruity scent. I quickly discovered it was coming from this little bottle of joy. If you aren't a fan of strong fragrances this may totally turn you off, but I am kind of obsessed with it. It basically reminds me of a summery punch or cocktail, and even after your hair dries the scent continues to linger. Aside from smelling wonderful, this cream is meant to help your hair maintain its style through second day wear and help to combat greasiness at the roots. I'm the most lazy person when it comes to styling my hair, and I don't think this makes a huge difference in how my hair looks day 2 if it was air dried. That being said the bottle basically tells you it's designed to work on heat styled hair, so I kind of feel like I'm not totally giving it a fair shot. I also think that since my hair is super long right now it generally tends to look dirtier and weighed down faster than if it was shorter, so I think products like this are less likely to work as well. Basically, I need to actually style my hair and see if this makes any difference before I totally write it off. And my hair will still smell great in the meantime!
This gentle, soap-free make-up remover and cleanser with Honey and Sunflower cleanses, soothes and removes make-up in one go - whilst being kind to your skin.
Full Size, 6.7 fl oz ($19)
Sample Size, 0.50 fl oz ($1.42)
Apparently the addictive smells didn't end with NYM. This honey scented cleanser is to die for. It's got a slightly creamy gel texture, and is very gentle, but effective. It gets your skin feeling clean without it being stripped of essential moisture, and it smells AMAZING. A sort of sweet, sophisticated honey scent that has also been driving me crazy because it reminds me of something I can't seem to put my finger on. It's kind of amazing how strongly scents are tied to memories, except 90% of the time I remember that the scent is familiar, but have no idea why. Anyway, this cleanser is lovely, and I am really enjoying using it. It's not really designed to remove heavy or waterproof eye makeup, so you would probably need to use this in conjunction with something else if you're washing your face at bedtime. Otherwise this is a really nice way to refresh your skin in the morning.
CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ is truly a multi-tasking beauty miracle. It's a full-coverage Color Correcting Cream, Anti-Aging serum, plus Broad Spectrum Physical Only SPF 50+ all in one! The SPF 50+ UVA/UVB Physical Only sunscreen protects against the rays that both burn and age your skin. CC+ is infused with cutting edge anti-aging technology and is clinically proven to improve skin texture, brightness and increase skin hydration by 79%.
Full Size, 32 ml ($38)
Sample Size, 4 ml ($4.75)
While I suppose I haven't tried a ton of products from IT Cosmetics, I honestly haven't been disappointed with a single one yet. Last summer I was on a huge CC/BB cream kick, but I transitioned to traditional foundation in the fall and winter. This product, however, has totally reminded me why I had so much love for CC creams in the first place. It's got a perfect amount of coverage, and has a creamy sort of texture that blends out beautifully with my expert face brush. It gives your skin a really glowy, dewy sort of radiance, but you can easily set it down with powder if you'd prefer a more matte look. I also love that it has such excellent sun protection, and that it only uses physical sunscreens (which are apparently healthier and more effective than chemical ones). The shade medium is a tad bit warmer and darker than my current complexion, but I think it will ultimately work really well for me as my summer tan continues to appear.
Get primed and ready for action. Urban Decay's long-lasting, waterproof liner glides on smoothly to prime AND define—for long-lasting lip color and clean lines. Smooch. Pout. Smack. Nibble. Lick. 24/7 stays put through everything (yes, EVERYTHING) you do. When you use this liner to fill in your lips completely, it primes them for lipstick or gloss, grabbing on to color to help it last.
Full Size, 0.04 oz ($20)
Sample Size, 0.03 oz ($15)
An Urban Decay Lip Pencil? Yes, please! I've already tried at least one other 24/7 Lip Liner before, and it was definitely a winner, so I am totally pumped to try another one. I also am a huge fan of colorless lip pencils. They're awesome for creating a barrier around your lip line to prevent bleeding and feathering, and can be used with literally any color you'd like to sport. I think I'm going to hold off on actually using this pencil for a little bit, since I have a few other similar pencils I've already started to use, but I'm definitely excited to have it! My sample also came along with a bubble pack sample of the new Revolution Lip Gloss, so I'm definitely looking forward to trying that as well.
All right Ipsy, I know we went through a rough patch there for a while, but I have to admit you've been upping your game as of late. I think this bag was pretty darn excellent! First off, when it comes to the whole Jet Setter theme, I actually think all of these products were perfectly appropriate. If you're out and about you want products that are going to last, and keep you looking great from day to night. And you've even got a little sun protection in there for good measure! My total bag value also rang in at $38.41, and considering how much I loved everything I got I'd say my $10 were definitely well spent. The only thing I think I'm not completely impressed with is this month's bag, which is kind of boring canvas with a silkscreen print that I could take or leave.
Either way, I'm definitely going to hold off on cancelling my subscription (which I had been considering) and see if the upward trend continues.
Interested in getting your own Glambag? I would really appreciate it if you used my referral link to become an Ipsy Subscriber! You can also check out reviews of all my previous bags here.
