It’s ipsy time!

I received some very happy mail today, my ipsy glam bag. Ipsy is a beauty sampling service which, for only $10 a month, allows you to try a variety of different beauty products tailored to your likes (based on a detailed survey you take when you sign up with questions about hair & skin type, affinity for nail art, etc etc) Each bag is usually worth between $50-$100 and the sizes are very generous for the price. This is my third month using the service and so far I have been very pleased. I think we can all say we’ve spent $10 on ONE product only to get it home, hate it, and never use it again. So for me it’s totally worth it to try out several different products before committing to full size/price, have a great variety of options, and a cute bag to boot! There’s also a forum on their website where users give helpful reviews and even trade items since like I mentioned, due to each persons survey, products vary. I haven’t tried the trading thing yet, but maybe in the future. My products came in a lovely recycled fabric bag along with the message, “It’s a month of crisp air, vibrant flowers, and fresh Glam Bag products! Getting your beauty to bloom all month long will be as easy as lying in the warm grass and basking in the sunshine.” Here’s a list of my items as well as my initial review since I haven’t tried them all yet.
1. Lulu Blossom Dreamsicle Body Balm
This adorable 2 oz. tin is a great size for your purse or cosmetic bag and since a little goes a long way with this moisturizing product, it will last a long time. Simply made of Shea butter, wax, and grape seed oil, it’s creamy and nourishing without feeling greasy and has a light but pleasant tropical scent. I plan on keeping it in my nail kit to put on my cuticles and heels (which could use all the help they can get!) The label on the back also suggests using it as a pomade or quick fix for flyaways so that’s good to know too!
2. Pacifica eyeshadow duo in purple and cream shimmer
I love Bare Minerals and MAC so I admit to being an eyeshadow snob but I don’t think it’s just me, I was not impressed with this. The label boasts a 100% vegan & cruelty free formula which is great and all but it also happens to be 100% BLA. There’s very little pigmentation and it barely shows up on the skin. Oh well, you win some you lose some. This one goes to the girl’s play makeup box!
3. eva*nyc rock-a-wave curl cream leave in cream
As any curly girl knows, we’re ALWAYS on the hunt for the perfect styling product. This one is full of Argan oil and Keravis Protein with a slight coconut scent so it should be good for my hair but the true test will be if it can tame my curls! I’ll keep you posted.
4. derma e microdermabrasion scrub
Another 100% vegan & cruelty free product, I’m excited to use this scrub. Screaming bright citrus notes as soon as you open the lid it’s sure to wake up and brighten my skin with its gentle exfoliation. My skin is pretty good but I can always use a good exfoliator, especially on my nose which seems to be the most blackhead-prone area.
5. Hang Ten water resistant natural sunscreen SPF 50
Criticize me all you want but 50 is a little high on the sunscreen spectrum for my taste. I know I know, but I’m sorry, I like a little color! Numbers aside, this natural formula goes on very nicely with a thin non-gloopy texture. It has the classic sunscreen smell and upon smelling it I was instantly reminded of the way babies smell at the beach. You know what I’m talking about? Babies already smell heavenly but with the addition of sunscreen on their chubby little arms and legs and the salt air, there’s truly nothing better. This one is going right to my beach/pool bag it’s the perfect size for a last minute trip when I may forget the giant bottle.
Well there you have it ladies and gentlemen (though I’m guessing more ladies…) I hope this review was helpful and I definitely recommend giving ipsy a try!