Ipsy Review, August 2015

My love affair with Ipsy deepened this month with their Prep School themed box.   Here's what I got:

This bag:

This AWESOME, incredible bag.  When I saw it in the preview I had hoped it was a tweed-like fabric material.  It's so much better--it's a wipable vinyl bag with an Escher-like texture to enhance the hounds-tooth pattern.  I can not tell you how much I love this bag, except to say that even with my cheap ways, I would have paid real money for this bag.  In fact, if I find a bigger version in a store at some point, it will be mine.   Even the hot pink zipper (and I am not a fan of pink) gives me the warm fuzzies, because it gives a classic pattern a modern touch.  



Marc Anthony Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco (0.7 oz)  $3.50

I don't use oils on my fine hair (it weighs it down too much) but my hubby has been using Argan oils for a while, so I asked him to try this one out.  He liked it a lot, and was especially pleased with the small size so he could take it with him.  


Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted (full size) $15

I'm a nail polish addict.  I have hundreds of bottles,and I'm always searching for a fun new color in a formula that will stand up to my lifestyle (which destroys your average drug-store-polish manicure in about a day).   I was pleasantly surprised by how well this one did--even without a base or topcoat, it still held up without chipping for three days.  That's just short of a miracle for me.   The color is a fun purple that perfectly suits my personality.   It's a bit pricier than I usually spend on nail polish, but then again it held up better than 99% of the polishes in my collection.  Plus, it’s 7-free, non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free. This one joins my short list of nail polish favorites.  

Hikari Lip Gloss in Merlot (full size)  $13

I hated this product the first time I wore it.   It was SO sticky!   Or at least, I thought I hated it.  Then I found myself putting it on again the next day . . . and the next . . . and then I added it to my purse, so I had to admit I kind of liked it.  It is sticky.  VERY sticky.   Don't-do-anything-dusty-right-after-applying sticky.   But it also hangs around like a dream--I went through my entire day and my lips were still merlot-colored at the end of it.   That's an entire day of eating, drinking, kissing foreheads (no transfer after it finally set.  Which took a WHILE :P)   This product is not for everyone, but if you like sticky lipgloss with good pigmentation and shockingly great staying power, then this is for you.  

Doucce Ultra Precision Eye Liner in Black (full size)  $22

This eyeliner promised to be waterproof, long lasting, and 'a soft application'.   It's a soft application.   It does require eye makeup remover to get it off completely, but it smudges and fades pretty easily.   It's a meh for me--I added it to my makeup bag because it fades so well that I can use it day or night, but I will keep looking for the 'perfect' waterproof liner.  


Marsk Pro Line Eye Shadow Brush  $26

This brush is everything I never knew I wanted in an eyeshadow brush.   I have a good set of makeup brushes already, so I considered adding this one to the donate pile without trying it.  I'm so glad I didn't.   This brush is really great.  The bristles are soft but hold their shape very well.   The brush doesn't seem to hold much color in itself--it all gets transferred to my eyelid.   And the shape is perfect--I use one side to smooth color on my lid, the other side to put a highlight under my brow, and the tip is perfectly sized and shaped to put a deeper color on the crease.   This was a great addition to my makeup bag!


The value of this month's bag was $79.50 plus the bag itself--for only $10!!!Now to be fair, I didn't like some of the products and I seriously doubt I could have brought myself to pay $26 for that eyeshadow brush no matter how much I liked it, but I still consider this month's bag a great value.   I don't know how Ipsy will top this bag next month, but I look forward to finding out!

Ipsy is a subscription box service.   For $10 a month you get '4-6 deluxe samples or full sized products' and one zippered makeup bag in a theme that changes monthly (the bag is the same for everyone, but the products change based on your style survey).   That is $10 including shipping!   And when they say deluxe samples they mean it--no foil packets or 'is there any product in that?' tubes.  

If you'd like to sign up for Ipsy, go ahead and use my referral link!  I'll get points that I can use for free products.