Thinking of You theme is probably more suitable for February, and the actual design of the December Ipsy GlamBag looks totally appropriate for Valentine’s day. I’ll take it though, because who knows how long I will stay subscribed. The bag this month was probably one of my favorites – it featured a black rectangle-shaped pencil case with a nice zipper and a cute plastic pink heart dangle. I think design- and quality-wise this was one of the best cosmetic bags in over 2 years that I’ve been with Ipsy.
HOW IT WORKS
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Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser – Starting with my least favorite sample, because this cleanser broke me out. Yikes! And my skin isn’t even that sensitive. I’m used to AHA products, so it has something to do with the overall formulation. After two uses I started getting red bumps along the jawline and on my temples, which is consistent with the irritation I get when something is too harsh for my skin. Needless to say, I won’t be using it anymore and the entire bottle going straight to the trash. Too bad, because the sample is quite generous in size.
NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in Pure Red – I quite like this tinted lip balm, it makes my lips feel soft and comfortable while adding a hint of red tint. The coverage can be sheer for a soft wash of color, or built up for desired opacity when it almost looks like a buttery lipstick. I would buy more colors, but unfortunately they all contain mineral oil as the first ingredient, so I guess I’ll have to stick with my Burt’s Bees tinted balms.
Pixi by Petra Fairy Dust – Pixi products are always a hit and a miss for me, but this one left me undecided. I actually like the color a lot, but I have a hard time making it stick to my skin, even with primer. I have oily eyelids, and this formula creased on me every time, which is not a pretty sight. The applicator is quite worthless too, I was better off applying it with a finger or a brush. Overall, mehhh… Not something I’d ever buy.
tarte lights, camera, lashes 4-in-1 mascara – It’s no secret that I am a big fan of tarte, particularly their mascaras. I even count the one in golden tube among my Holy Grail beauty products. This one is a slightly tamer version of my fave, because it looks less dramatic but still fabulous. I have oily eyelids, but tarte mascaras never seem to smear on me, even if i don’t coat them with Lash Genius.
Swissco Electroplated Eyelash Curler – I would have been very happy with this little handy tool if I didn’t already have an amazing [and cheap!] heated eyelash curler that I use daily. I feel like once you switch to heated curlers, you’ll never want to go back to mechanical ones. At least I know I don’t, because the results are always superior. I think it will make a fun little gift for someone, or maybe even part of a future blog giveaway prize bundle.
THE VERDICT
The December GlamBag contained three products for the eyes, one for skin, and one for lips, which is a great ratio on my book. Again, I am pretty impressed with the quality of the bag itself, and plan to use it for carrying brushes in my purse from now on. Unfortunately, out of five samples the only one I will use is the mascara, but seems like most people were happy with their bags.
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser | $2.99 |
| NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in Pure Red | $3.99 |
| Pixi by Petra Fairy Dust | $10.00 |
| tarte lights, camera, lashes 4-in-1 mascara | $8.33 |
| Swissco Electroplated Eyelash Curler | $5.00 |
| Box Retail Value | $30.31 |
