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.
The Skinny on Ipsy
Ipsy is a beauty subscription service that sends you 5 deluxe samples or full sized products in a specially designed cosmetics bag every month.
What it costs: $10 monthly
Why it's special: If you're a total makeup junkie/beauty product addict, Ipsy offers you a great way to get acquainted with new brands, try the latest trends, and switch up your routine without having to spend a lot of cash. You'll complete a style quiz that will help Ipsy determine what products you'd most like to get in your Glambag, and can review products as you go to help personalize your experience. Ipsy also offers awesome sets from their brand partners each month at crazy discounts, as well as coupon codes to shop on their websites.
What you get back: Each time your review your monthly bag and the products in it you have the opportunity to earn points. When you've saved up enough points you can redeem them for an extra goodie of your choosing in your next bag.
Interested in becoming an Ipsy subscriber? Use my referral link to let them know I sent you their way!
Curious to see more? You can view all of my previous Glambag reviews here.
This month's Glambag theme is Summer Lovin', and the products I ended up sampling are definitely useful around this time of year. I got a mini dry shampoo, a waterproof bronzer, a tinted facial sunscreen, a creamy lip balm, and a shimmering eyeshadow that doubles as a highlighter. I totally appreciate beauty products that have SPF and are sweat/grease proof during the hot summer months, so I was definitely looking forward to trying everything and seeing how they held up. Here are quick links to all of my individual reviews:
- Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo
- Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer
- Bare Republic Natural Mineral Sunscreen
- Be a Bombshell Lip Balm in French Kiss
- OFRA Bliss Eyeshadow
No more turning down dates because you have to wash your hair! Perfect for busy girls, the Freshen Up Dry Shampoo keeps hair fresh one day longer, without even washing! The expert formula revives lifeless hair by removing excess oil and adding instant volume - leaving it clean, stylish and smooth.
Full Size, 5.3 oz ($24)
Sample Size, 0.75 oz ($3.40)
At first I was actually impressed with how much I liked this dry shampoo. The packaging is pretty understated, and is definitely a prime example of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I thought it smelled eerily similar to the Amika Dry Shampoo, which I also love, and upon further inspection have discovered that the ingredient lists are almost identical. They both use rich starch to absorb oil, and therefore don't leave any whiteish cast behind in your hair, and the scents are legit the same. Now, if this stuff was, say $12 or $15 a bottle I would think I struck a gold mine. However, it actually is $2 more than the Amika, which means there is absolutely no reason why I would purchase Eva NYC's version instead. Not only does Amika throw some Sea Buckthorn oil into their formula, which nourishes and strengthens hair, but they also have super cute packaging. Long story short, this stuff is great and I will definitely keep this can in my purse, but if you're looking to buy, I'd recommend going with the Amika version instead.
tarte’s best-selling, multi-tasking bronzer is formulated to blend and build your perfect level of uniform bronze. Available in the signature park ave princess™ radiant bronze shade, the waterproof formula adds instant warmth and dimension across a variety of skin tones as Amazonian clay helps improve skin clarity, texture and tone for an overall lit from within complexion.
Full Size, 0.32 oz ($30)
Sample Size, 0.11 oz ($10.31)
I love the Tarte Amazonian Clay blushes, which are incredibly pigmented and long wearing, so I was really excited to try one of their bronzers. While the pan looks relatively light in the photograph above I found this to be a solidly medium toned bronzer that imparts a good bit of color. It also has a finely milled shimmer running throughout that gives you an extra glow. I think it might look a bit too orangey on super pale complexions, but if you're someone with a bit of a natural tan this will add a nice bit of radiance to your face. As far as the waterproof claims go, I actually am not convinced that this is the longest wearing or most budge-proof formula I've tried. I think the Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Bronzer gives you a very similar glowy kind of look but generally tends to hold up better.
Let the power of nature protect and nourish the sensitive skin on your face with our lightly tinted 100% natural, chemical-free active SPF 30 Face Sunscreen. With its lightweight, non-whitening, non-greasy, and lightly tinted application, it's perfect for use with or without makeup. Wear with confidence knowing that you are applying the latest in sunscreen technology: broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection, 40 minutes water resistant, no chemical actives, no synthetic fragrances, no parabens - no worries!
Full Size, 1.7 oz ($14.99)
Sample Size, 0.34 oz ($3.00)
While I totally understand the importance of sunscreens, they're not always the most exciting summer essential to talk about. However, I am really glad that I got a chance to try this product because I have a strong feeling that Bare Republic is going to become my new go-to for SPF. From what I can gather, Bare Republic is a subsidiary of COOLA, a premium all-natural suncare brand. While COOLA products are awesome, they can also be really pricey, so having a more affordable option available is something I'm excited about. It looks like the line is carried exclusively at Target, and while still pretty small in its offerings, covers all of your basic suncare needs for face and body. All of their products are free of chemical sunscreens, which is incredibly hard to find at the drugstore, and don't use synthetic chemicals or fragrances. This tinted sunscreen for face has an incredibly silky texture and smells AMAZING. For not using any artificial fragrance I'm really impressed with how awesome the scent is. I will say if you have very oily skin you might find this formula to be a little too greasy to wear everyday or under makeup. However, for a beach trip or other outdoor adventure I think this would be perfect for protecting your skin.
Hydrating formula to leave lips feeling silky smooth with a hint of color.
Full Size, 4.6 g ($14)
I'm not gonna lie, I'm so over Be a Bombshell. I feel like Ipsy samples something from them almost every month, and despite my generally meh reviews I somehow keep ending up with their products. For a brand that charges luxury prices, there is nothing about their products that feel high end to me. For example, why would you pay $14 for this lip balm? Yes, it does have some nice ingredients in the formula like vitamin E and coconut oil. However, I'm pretty positive if you walk into a natural foods store you can find an even healthier formula for a fraction of the price. The shade I received, French Kiss, is a really pale pink and I find it leaves an almost white-ish cast on my lips that's not entirely flattering. Also, the packaging is essentially the same as your standard tube of chapstick. Maybe I'm being overly picky, but I just don't see any reason why I'd order this product over countless other options from the drugstore.
Bliss is a gorgeous shimmery powder that can be used as an eye shadow or as a highlighting powder on your cheek bones, brow bones or on the bridge of your nose. Bliss can easily fit in any type of magnetic makeup palette and can also be used in loose form.
Full Size, 0.14 oz ($15)
Apparently the Ipsy Fairies knew that I just bought myself a Z Palette, because this eyeshadow pan fits perfectly inside of it, no depotting required! The pan is actually really large for an eyeshadow, which may be in part due to the fact that this is touted as a combination shadow/highlighter. The shade bliss is a nice golden champagne with a satin finish, and is that kind of essential neutral color you can use in 100 different looks. That being said, I probably have several other similar shadows in palettes hanging around, so it's not the most exciting or interesting product I've ever received. We'll see how much I tend to reach for it with my using the Z Palette on a regular basis.
This was one of those bags that kind of took me by surprise. When I was first previewing the products I was going to get I was mostly only excited for the Tarte bronzer, but I ended up really liking the dry shampoo and sunscreen as well. The total value of all my samples rings in at $45.71, which is definitely solid for a $10 subscription. Hopefully the trend will continue for next month!
Are you a Glambag subscriber? What product were you most excited about this month?
