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Because I now subscribe to Ipsy Plus every other month, I occasionally forget to sign into my account on the second day of the month I’m getting a bag to choose the items that I want to receive. I remembered on New Year’s Day, but that was a day too early. I should put it in my calendar, but I haven’t. Needless to say, I forgot during January 2-4 to sign in and pick my products. I remembered on January 5, but the Ipsy website told me I was too late. Boo.
Last week, my January “Happy Vibes” Ipsy Plus Bag arrived. The bag itself is rather dreamy with pastel colors blending in to each other. The smiley face is silly but cute.
Getting a bag where I didn’t pick the contents was just like “the good old days” when I first subscribed to Ipsy and they chose the products for me. It was a surprise! But I was definitely kind of nervous about it. Well, I think I lucked out. My bag was filled with color cosmetics/makeup instead of skincare which I what I usually get!
Here’s what I got:
Aceology Overnight Lip Mask: Two months ago, I got a gold peel off firming mask from Aceology, and I really love it. So I was happy to get to try their Overnight Lip Mask. I guess this product qualifies as “skincare”, but that’s OK. I have only tried it for one night so far, but it seemed to work. Thankfully, it doesn’t have peppermint oil, so that’s a plus. It contains coconut and olives oils among other emollients. It’s a gel that comes in a tube. It stayed on throughout the night, and my lips felt good in the morning. I will try it again tonight. $19
Il Makiage Mascara Icon High Volume & Intense Curl Mascara: I believe I got a mascara from Il Makiage in an Ipsy bag several months ago. I generally like Il Makiage products, so I was happy to try it. I think the first one I got was OK, but not fantastic. But then mascara preferences are so individualized. I think this may be a different formula. I tried it today for the first time, and it has a football shaped wand with plastic teeth – I like the wand! The formula is a lengthening formula that’s rather thin. So far, I like it well enough. I’ll continue using it and see if it becomes a favorite or not. I noticed on the Il Makiage website that this mascara comes in blue and brown as well as the black that I received, in case you’re interested. $27
Belle En Argent Laugh & Believe Nail Duo: Belle En Argent has the most beautifully packaged makeup. Everything comes in shiny silver packaging. The nail polish bottles and the shades are lovely and luxurious: one an opaque nude and the other deep plum. The polishes are 8-free, vegan and cruelty-free. Even though I haven’t strayed from Olive & June Nail Polish since I first tried it at the beginning of summer, I will give these two a shot and see how well they last if I use Olive & June Topcoat over them. $19
Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, shade Hustla Baby: Can you believe I have never tried any Fenty Beauty Makeup over than sampling the foundation at Sephora? Just because the foundation didn’t suit me, I was never tempted to try the makeup. Odd especially since I subscribed to Fenty Lingerie for about 3 years. Anyway, I am not a big highlighter user, but OMG this is the smoothest, creamiest powder highlighter I have ever tried. It is a stunning gold (though in these pix, it looks like rose gold). I will probably try using it as eyeshadow. If you are looking for a highlighter, definitely give Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter a shot! $38
Shaina B Miami Nights Pressed Pigment Palette: I received another Shaina B shadow palette either this past spring or the one before with pretty spring shades. I haven’t been wearing eyeshadow a lot, so I thought maybe I would give this palette away. That is, until I opened it. The bright silver glitter pigment, Queen of Diamonds, was dazzling, and I thought it would look great with my new Ann Taylor gunmetal sequined top that I reviewed on Monday. I am a sucker for silver shadows anyway. I did a finger swatch, and the consistency is very similar to the Fenty Beauty Highlighter: creamy, smooth, opaque, surprisingly fabulous for a relatively inexpensive brand. I also swatched the charcoal grey because I thought it would make a terrific eyeliner (it will). Then I impulsively decided to apply the silver glitter shadow to my eyelids: no eye primer, no brush, just stroke it on. What an idiot I was! This is a pigment that demands glitter glue, and it was a real mistake to try it without a glitter primer. Of course, the glitter migrated above my eye as well as out into past the outer corner. I decided to try to remove it, and that was a disaster as well. I used micellar water and a cotton pad, and that spread the glitter all over my face. Ugh. Next I applied cream cleanser to my entire face, and removed it with a face cloth. It took about 10 minutes, but I finally got all but a few sparkles off. Before I use the silver glitter again, I will buy a tube of NYX Glitter Makeup Primer! Also, I will carefully tap on the glitter shadow with a small flat brush on my lid away from the crease and near to the lash line. In the meantime, I look forward to using the brown/coppery shades as well as the peachy shimmer in the palette. BTW, one of the shades, Vino (red-orange), contains carmine and is not meant for use in the eye area, though I’m not sure where you’re supposed to use it! $20
My Happy Vibes bag of goodies is worth $123. I paid $28 plus tax (because I’m an every other month customer now, the monthly price is $3 higher). It was worth it. This was a fun bag to play around with! Definitely happy vibes!
I just shopped for some of their duos at greatly discounted prices. I’ll be back to tell you about them when they arrive.
As usual, if you want to join or rejoin after taking a break, please use my referral code.
Wow, Allison– you really did luck out! It was a gamble not selecting products that you wanted, but between the Fenty highlighter and the eyeshadow palette, you really scored! That gunmetal shadow is absolutely PERFECT for your stunning new Ann Taylor gunmetal sequined top!
Lola+Seicento recently posted…Lancôme Gift with $39.50 Purchase ($126.00 Value)
Yes, I did score with this Ipsy bag! The Fenty highlighter is absolutely fantastic – the formula is just the best!
Wow! I’m glad you lucked out! I can’t believe that, left to their own devices, Ipsy actually did right by you!
You know, the buying thing is that I think I was happier with my Ipsy bags when they were a surprise. However, I bought a bunch of stuff on their shopping page a couple of days ago. I hope I like what I bought. One was a fragrance but I can’t remember what!
I hope the stuff you bought is great too. Let me know what the fragrance is! My perfume this month from Scentbird was Pine Tree and Vetiver Brumee. Not right for me. Oh well.
Oooh, I don’t think I could wear Pine Tree either. I love Vetiver scents and always have, but just not on me. I’m sorry they weren’t right for you either 😥
Well, you have to try, right? I hope my February choices work out better. Let me know what happens with your Ipsy fragrance!
Will do! And I hope your February pix (the ones you told me about, Etat Libre D’Orange I Am Trash and Zadig etc. This Is Her?) suit you much better!!
I was happy with my bag too. I got very different items.
I’m glad you were pleased too. I feel like I lucked out!
I’m so surprised with the great products you received. The Fenty would for sure go on my eyes. Bae Harbor in the palette is the kind of color I crave. Il Makiage was in all the editions of Allure when I first became interested in cosmetics and it was a brand I always wanted.
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I really lucked out with Ipsy this month. I agree with you about Bae Harbor. I think I will be wearing that one as well as MLA Mauve and Ice Palace. I am waiting to receive the tube of NYX glitter glue that I bought after having most of the glitter from Queen of Diamonds end up in my eyes – painful!
You got a pretty good bag considering you got last choices! I’d be happy with this bag!
You know, that’s an interesting perspective, Claudia. I didn’t think about it that way, ie that they were “last choices”. Hmmmm.