Heya Aspiring Gurus!
I am finally getting around to posting my thoughts on the December Ipsy bag of goodies that I received. That means that I will have only one more Ipsy post like this and I will have three or four more Birchbox posts to put up. I am trying my hardest to put one up every week, so that in a month I will be all caught up. I would like to be doing these on the same week that I upload that month’s unboxing. I guess, it is good this way as well, because I get a bit more time to be testing out all of the products. Everything has it’s good and bad and I just like to go with the flow. Without further ado, here are my thoughts:
The Theme:
Thinking of you is just a cute theme, but it sounds kind of like Valentines Day more than Christmas if you ask me. Only a few products really go with the theme of a Christmas Party type thing. It really seems like just any old month. I actually have yet to try one of these products (hint: It’s a mascara, because I have two open already and they last FOREVER.)
The Bag:
I think that the bag is simple and cute. It looks and feels kind of like satin. The only negative is the cheap plastic charm. I would have preferred it i it was just a plain metal heart and did not say Ipsy. I removed it from the bag, so that I can use it to keep my toiletries in it. I could see getting a lot of use out of it or using it as part of someone’s present.
CAILYN Cosmetics Just Mineral Eye Polish in Orchid, 0.09 oz for 15 USD [Full sized]
I love that this is a full sized product and a very wearable shade. It is a nude peach color with a bit of shimmer in it. It is a nude shade that I tend to put all over the lid. If I am looking to add more to my look, I will take a deeper brown and put it in the crease. This was smooth and very blendable. I absolutely love it and it is full sized. I can see getting a lot of use out of this color. It is very neutral.
Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser, 2 fl oz for 2.98 USD
I enjoy using this cleanser, but I would not purchase it. It is a very thick clear gel and I have to use quite a bit of it to get it to lather. It is hard to get it to be ungel-like and takes a bit of washing off to get it off. I will be using this as a morning cleanser, but when it is used up, it is used up. I would not recommend it, because it is difficult to use.
Sexy Hair 450° Blow Out Heat Defense Blow Dry Spray Mini, 1.7 fl oz for 8.04 USD
I am glad to have gotten an expensive brand product, but the performance left much to be desired. It has a nice Hawaiian Topics Sunscreen scent to it that I like. My hair seemed to be well protected from hot tools when I used this. There was no burning hair smell. I used this when I curled and straightened my hair. I’ve used about a fourth to a third of the bottle. It left my hair slightly sticky and a bit dirty feeling. My hair straightened hung lanky. My hair curled didn’t stay curled as long as usual. I didn’t add other products with this, just this on its own. I don’t like how it makes my hand feel, but I will use it and see if layering hairspray on top has any effect on the texture of my hair.
NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in Marshmallow, 0.14 oz for 4 USD [full sized]
YAY! Another full sized product and I love NYX. The butter gloss is amazing! But so is this lip balm, except the color. It is way too pale on a nude on my lips. It makes me look sickly. It is great for an at home lip balm, but I will not be wearing this outdoors for sure. It is so smooth and silky feeling on the lips. They really are great value for a great product as long as you get the right shade.
tarte deluxe lights, camera, lashes™ 4-in-1 mascara, .10 fl oz for 8.33 USD [almost half of the full sized]
I just finished up a full sized mascara, so I will be looking forward to trying this out. I just tried it out over a different formula and it seems to be a nice formula. It seems to be a drier formula, which I like. It also has a short spiky wand that seems to grip the lashes and pulls the formula through them. I am hoping that this could be the day time version of the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. I’m hoping it will be less dramatic, but still a nice eye opening formula for a girl who does not curl her lashes.
Overall, the value of this bag was 38.35 USD, which is more than triple of the amount of the subscription. I have to say that this bag was a great value and that I loved 2 of the products, disliked two, and am unsure about the Tarte yet. I was ready to let this subscription go and move on to bigger and better things. What did you get in your December Ipsy? Did yo love it?
With Love,
Home Sweet Phoenix Cove 
I like the nyx lip balm too, though I don’t know why they sent you that color? Don’t they ask for your skin tone in that survey? I got the pinkish one.
Yeah. It was weird. Lol
I mean it’s not much different from your own skin tone!
Yes, there isn’t much of a difference at all. I looked washed out and ill!
Not fun! I really don’t know how they make their color choices. Sometimes it seems like it’s picked at random.
Or maybe they ran out? I like Birchbox a lot better. They seem to pick more flattering colors, although I didn’t quite like that coral shade. It was too orange on my complexion, since I have yellow undertones and I use yellow toned bases.
Maybe it would work better if you had a tan? It does seem a bit bright for this time of year.
Hmmmm….Maybe I’ll hold onto it then.
It’s an idea, and sort of the only one I have! Lol.
as I recall, though not 100% sure, all my bags from Ipsy said Ipsy on them in some way or another. Some were more subtle than others though. Oh, also Ipsy sends that brand Cailyn A LOT! It seemed like every other month or maybe once every 3 months that brand was included. I like it but well, just noticed that over time. Actually what you got seems pretty good. (I have so much mascara too lol, samples from Sephora and from boxes, etc!). Hmm, Ok feeling like getting Ipsy again now. I’ll think on it though. Actually my boxes at the moment are just 2 so not as crazy as the past. And one is Lootcrate so no makeup there! ha! Ok have a great weekend!
I enjoyed Ipsy, but getting more than one makeup box a month was too much for me. I’m thinking about getting a snack box.
oh I didn’t like really any of the food boxes I tried but I’m too picky with food (also they were not really a “good deal” for any). I tried: love with food (liked it best, easy to cancel), graze (rip off, too much I hated food wise), naturebox (Ok but pain to cancel, have to call and they do a hard sell on you). there are many others I didn’t try though!
A hard sell?