Unboxing the IPSY Glam Bag X for May 2022

It is May and May is an IPSY Glam Bag X month. The Glam Bag X is a Quarterly upgrade. For the Glam Bag X months the cost is $55 . In these bags there are eight products, three of which you get to choose from a set list. This month was interesting for me. In their choice items they generally feature a makeup bag. As I remember when the makeup bag came as a standard part of IPSY instead of a choice item I generally don’t choose it. This month I actually chose the bag as one of my items. It is listed as retailing for $18.

There are two reasons that I chose this bag from the items offered. The first is that there were no other items in this selection category that I actually wanted. I can’t remember what those options were, and I actually need to start writing them down each month as part of my evaluation of the subscription process, but I do know that none of the other items appealed to me.

The bag, while I am not really a florals sort of person, did sort of appeal to me. I think it is more the shape rather than the print. I like the under bag storage area for makeup brushes and I really like the clam shell shape with the flat bottom. It means I can stash a small palette flat if I wanted to which is sometimes nice. The bag itself is nice and something I will get use out of. I still wish it had been more of a choice rather than the only option I was interested in for that category.

Since I started with the choice Items, I’ll go ahead and continue with them. My next choice item was the Sunday Riley Pink Drink Firming Resurfacing Essence (retail $48). To be honest I have no idea what else was in this category because I was going to choose this regardless.

I really enjoy having an essence in my skin care routine and in general I like Sunday Riley Products. The ones that aren’t targeted for my skin type clearly don’t work for me but the items that are targeted for my skin type I really love. From everything I have read about this, it seems like I am the target so I have high hopes for this product and can’t wait to try it out.

The third item I chose was the Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum from Keys Soulcare (retail $26 ). I have the mask from the Keys Soulcare line that is going to be put through its paces starting next week. It was going to have its first use post this Friday with Face Mask Friday but I am having to postpone until next week). And I am interested in seeing how the brand performs. I know it had a lot of hype when it came out and the glass containers are lovely and feel very luxe. My skin loves niacinamides. I can’t wait to see how it performs.

And now we get to the items that IPSY chose for me. The first up is the Dew of the Gods Claydate Healing Face Mask (retail $42). You know I love a good clay mask. It is also spot on for my profile. So IPSY knows that I love a good clay mask. I can’t remember if I’ve tried any products from Dew of the Gods. I think they had something in Boxycharm a while back. I don’t think it ended up in my box thought. I do know it is listed as a clean brand so that makes me very happy to give it a try. I have noticed though that most of my masks are now in the hydrating category.

I think I used up most of the masks that fell into the detoxifying category. They tend to be the ones I reach for first. Soon I am going to need to do a mask inventory and see what I have. I might need to do a sample sized round up to clear out some of the smaller tubes and then find out what I am missing. But that is for later. For now I am pleased with this mask in my Glam Bag X. I like it when IPSY remembers my profile.

The next item made me smile slightly because it makes me feel like the universe is listening to me when I’m not paying attention. This product is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Wild Oat Hydrating Toner (retail $24). Recently I said that I was pleased to get a toner in a subscription box because it isn’t a category that is often stocked and that I end up picking up on my own. Now it seems that it is stocked. For the first time in a long time I have more than one toner. I’m used to having extras of other categories (I have eye creams galore at this point) but almost never extra toners. Now I do. I like First Aid Beauty and look forward to trying out the Oat based toner. As most of my toners tend to be witch hazel based it should be interesting.

And now we move into makeup items. The first of these is the Sunset to Sunrise Eyeshadow Palette from Iconic London (retail $62). I really like the colors in this palette. They are very spring moving into summer wear and look light and fresh. I have tried a lot of Iconic products but never their eyeshadows. I am very much looking forward to trying this out. There are 20 pans and it looks like it will be fun to play around with.

One of the things I love about subscriptions is that I get to try out brands I have never heard of and products that I might not buy on my own. This month there is a product called Lip Treat by TYS Beauty (retail $30). From the description it sounds like it is a nourishing lip plumper. It has peppermint and ginger extract in it as well as vitamins B and E.

Which I can’t lie makes it sound like it is committing a crime. But also like it will be hydrating to the lips. So maybe it breaks into your lips and hydrated, like a burglar who does your laundry and refills your ice trays. I do like lip plumpers even if I am not always a fan of lip glosses so it will be interesting to see where this falls during use. I’ll keep my fingers crossed. But it is a brand I have never heard of and I look forward to trying them out as well.

Finally we have a brand that I know well and a product I have used several times in the past. It is the Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Illuminating Face Oil (retail $42). I have used many tubes of this and am always happy to have another one. And this is actually it’s time to shine. In the summer time I tend to go more with tinted moisturizers than actual foundations and I also layer fewer products on top. Putting a drop or two of this on my skin , letting it absorb for a minute and then moving on to the tinted moisturizer, gives a great subtle glow to the skin and a little extra moisture for the days when you are going to be spending time in the sun. It is a great product and I am thrilled to see it.

As far as Glam Bags go, this was a pretty good one for me. The selection categories weren’t that great but I did end up with things I like. I’m always going to be a little salty that the bag counts as an item. But it is a nice bag and it is one that I will happily use. It irks me more that there was nothing else in that category that I was interested in than it does counting the bag as an item though. Even with the slimmed down choices, I really did end up with some great products. As I will use them all, I consider the value worth it, but for those looking for monetary value, let me do some quick math.

The bag was $55 and the value of the products inside comes to $292. For me, that was a decent value for the money. It is even better since I will use all of the products inside. This month there were some old favorites and familiar names. There were also some new to me products I am looking forward to trying out. It did lean more heavily towards the skincare, but I really don’t mind that. There was enough makeup to keep me from feeling overwhelmed so yeah, I am over all happy with this month’s Glam Bag X from IPSY.

Unboxing the Ipsy Glam Bag Plus for April 2022

Good morning my darlings. It is time for another unboxing. The Ipsy Glam Bag Plus Has arrived. This subscription is $28 per month and brings in five full sized items. It also comes with a draw string bag. Sometimes I like the bag, sometimes it annoys me. This month I like the look of the bag, but it feels almost exactly like the shower cap I received in the Macy’s beauty box. To be honest I liked the bag for the $13 bag much better.

But I am always so so about the bag. They went from having an actual makeup bag to the drawstring one, buit honestly, most months I’d rather they just leave it off. Maybe not send a drawstring bag and then once a quarter send an actual makeup bag. But no one really asked me.

Bag aside I am thrilled with my products this month. I received three makeup items and two skincare items. Let’s cover the skin care first.

The first skincare item is BUTTAH SKIN’s Tea Tree & Aloe Exfoliating Mask Scrub (Retail $22). I recently tried the toner from the brand Buttah Skin. It was nice. It was a sample size so I didn’t use it long enough to be able to evaluate any results, but I liked using it. I really like having something in a larger size since I am not that familiar with the brand (the toner was the only thing I tried from them). Now you know I love exfoliators, but this seems like it is part exfoliator, part mask. The back says to apply it and let it sit for five minutes before massaging and rinsing off. Interesting, no? I’m sure it will be fun to try and give me a better feel for the brand.

The second skincare item I chose because I had such great success with another Mask of theirs. This is the Juice Beauty Prebiotix™ Instant Flash Facial (Retail $52). Oddly enough it is in the same product category as the Buttah Skin. You put it on, let it sit for five minutes and then massage before rinsing. It is a category I love and I really don’t mind having a second of this type. Especially as things are heating up outside and ‘tis the season of clogged pores. So a little extra help on hand isn’t a bad thing. I will probably not be choosing an exfoliator for a while as I am now well stocked (especially with the Yensa Pumpkin and Tumeric Exfoliating mask on hand).

Speaking of Yensa the first makeup item in my bag this month is the Yensa Super Serum Silk Foundation. (Retail $45). I have been wanting to try this actually so I was tickled it was in my bag this month. I am currently testing out the Yensa BC cream Full Coverage Foundation (the review will be up on Thursday – spoiler, it’s fab). I think I might try this right after as a comparison to see how the two products perform. But I am super thrilled to get to try it.

The second makeup item is a six pan eyeshadow palette. It is from Sandbar Beauty and it is The Mirage Palette (Retail $26). I have never heard of Sandbar Beauty but I have my fingers crossed for this palette. It is a beautiful collection of shadows that looks like it would be perfect for an everyday palette for me. Last time a palette looked so much like an every day for me palette it didn’t perform well. I am really hoping this one will and I am going to think good thoughts and hope that it performs magnificently because I really like the look of it.

Yes I tore into the box. I love that the powder is wrapped in paper inside the box.

And finally the last makeup item in my Ipsy Glam Bag Plus is the Puff Puff Pass Set & Bake Setting Powder in 03 Translucent (Retail $18) from KimChi Chic Beauty. I loved watching KimChi on RuPaul’s drag race (All of which is on Paramount+, I tend to Binge watch Seasons) I have to say I am loving the look of this powder. It came in a box and then inside the box it was wrapped oh so nicely in paper which made it feel like opening a present and Then when I opened the jar I saw that the powder puff included was an actually usable powder puff rather than a thin little sheet that was hard to grasp and won’t get used.

This was an actual puff with a ribbon across the back for your fingers so you can actually use it as a powder puff is meant to be used. I hate when there is no strap across the back because it makes it really hard to use. But this one has the strap and a useful puff. So woo hoo! I know that sounds silly, but it is a great attention to detail and it makes the product feel like it is way more expensive than the $18 listed retail price. I cannot wait to use this powder. I really hope it performs well.

This month in addition to my items I also had one points product and two add ons. This month I used some of my stockpiled points to purchase The Balm and the Beautiful Palette from The Balm. I always like The Balms shadow formula and thought it would be fun to get something in their Clean and Green packaging. I am looking forward to using it. And in add ons I added two skincare items. I picked up a bottle of the Grace and Stella Hyaluronic Acid serum. If it sounds familiar, I just finished another sample sized bottle and absolutely loved it in my skincare line up. When I saw it on add ons I clicked before I even registered what I was doing. The second add on is The Verso Night Cream with Retinol 8. (the #3 cream).

I have never tried a Verso Product I didn’t like so I picked this up. And if it too sounds familiar, I do have a second tube that came in a different subscription box. I’m hoping if I add them together I can get a full month trial out of them. Although I am already in love with their eye cream, if you ever see that on the IPSY add on (or anywhere really) I suggest snapping it up. It’s eye cream so even the sample will last a long time and it is absolutely fantastic. Alyaka Beauty carries most of the Verso Line and it is well worth keeping a watch for sales. It is a bit pricy but not over the top expensive. It is a brand always on my watch list.

And that was my IPSY Glam Bag plus for the Month of April. For me it was a fabulous month. All of these are products that I will use and that I am interested in trying out. If you are looking at the money aspect, I paid $28 and received $163 worth of product. And more importantly they are all products I want to use. Because let’s face it if they aren’t products you will use then the monetary value doesn’t matter. For me this was a very good month.

Next month my IPSY Glam Bag Plus will be replaced with the Glam Bag X. This time around it will be curated by Madelaine Petsch. I took a look through the items. Several of them look amazing, like the Sunday Riley Pink Drink Firming Resurfacing Essence. I have my fingers crossed for that one actually, and if it is not in my bag I am really hoping it’s in the add ons. I have heard fantastic things about it and would love to give it a try. But that is for next month. For this month I am quite satisfied with my IPSY Glam Bag Plus.

Unboxing the IPSY Glam Bag for April 2022

I know what you are thinking. You think that should be the Glam Bag Plus from IPSY, but it is not. I am still getting the IPSY Glam Bag Plus (It hasn’t come in yet) but this month I did get the regular $13 Ipsy Glam Bag. The reason was simple. I saw the bag and I liked it. I have a weakness for daisies, plus it is a canvas bag rather than the shiny slick plastic. I know the plastic ones contain leaky makeup products better, but i do prefer this kind of material on small bags.

I also tend to use them in my purse so I don’t have a lot of loose things rolling around. I actually have several IPSY bags in my purse. One has pens and a small note pad, one has emergency hair repair stuff, one has makeup related items, the other has breath mints and an extra face mask. They are really useful so since I liked the look of this one, I went ahead and got it for the month. And the bag did not disappoint. It looks lovely.

When It came a couple of items were outside the bag. I’m not sure why as they both fit inside it, but we’ll start with them. The first of these items is a set of Eye patches from Aceology. I know, I just finished clearing out my collection of loose eye masks. I did choose them (and will try them out next week so they don’t linger). I’ve had really good luck with Aceology masks in general so I wanted to try out the eye masks, and now I can.

The second thing outside of the bag was the Kokie eyebrow pencil It is a full size and has a retail value of $8. (it is my only full sized item this month)I’m leaving it sealed for the moment because I want to see how many eye brow pencils I’ve got open at the moment and what condition they ae in before I open a new one. It is dark brown so there is the possibility it might be too dark for me as well. I generally find light to medium browns work better for me. I do want to try it though. The only Kokie product I have tried has been a setting spray and the scent of it was just horrifyingly chemically so I have kind of avoided the brand. But they are an affordably priced brand others really seem to like so i want to give them a chance.

Moving into the bag we have a teenie tiny Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer. I love this concealer. It really is creaseless and long lasting, or at least it was the last time I used it. This is my exact shade and I will give it a try to see if it still performs as well as I remember. If it does I will soon be ordering a full size. while I am testing out a concealer Influenster sent to my, I ran out of the concealer I do have so I’ll need to buy a new one anyway.

The next two items are skincare. First we have a bottle of the Maapilim Exfoliating solution. The brand sounds familiar so I think I have received something from them in some subscription box at some point. I can’t for the life of me remember what it is, where it came from or what I thought about it. Maybe when I try this out, I will poke through the website and a memory will float up from the depths to remind me. I do like exfoliating products so I am happy to give this one a go.

The final item is the Soroci Low-Hyaluronic Tangerine Booster serum. Again I know I have heard of the brand before but can’t place it. I do like hyaluronic acid in my skin care. I have no clue what Low hyaluronic acid is, but i will look into it before I give it a go.

I know I picked up this month’s IPSY bag simply because I liked the bag, but I have to say, this was well worth my $13. While the eyebrow pencil may not end up being the right shade I can at least test the formula, and everything else in this bag is something I am thrilled to have. I am looking forward to testing out the new Soroci serum and the exfoliation solution. I love anything by benefit Cosmetics and I am tickled that i get to try out the Aceology Eye masks. Over all April was a very good Glam Bag Month. Well done Ipsy.

Score free shipping on all orders!

The IPSY Glam Bag Plus for March has arrived

I think this one may be even more surprising than getting the Look Fantastic early. Lately the IPSY seems to be arriving later and later in the month. Of course that could be my tracking number based perception. I’ve noticed that I’ll check the tracking number and nothing will happen, it will still be listed as on it’s way to the post office for about a week and then it will change to Out for Delivery. It’s like they have decided it is some mysterious journey I don’t need to know about. I’m thinking they might possibly have routed the mail through Narnia and just not told anyone.

Be that as it may, the Ipsy Glam Bag plus is a $28 per month subscription. It comes with five full sized products and a drawstring bag. It used to actually come with a makeup bag. I have kept a few of the draw string bags for use when traveling. I put undergarments in them to keep them orderly in the luggage. The others I pass along. Honestly getting them kind of annoys me and reminds me that I’m not getting a makeup bag so I sort of wish they wouldn’t bother with the drawstring bag. I will say this is better material than many they have sent in the past, so it will probably be kept. But that’s all I have to say about the bag.

With the five items Ipsy chooses two of them and then lets you choose the other three. It is not a large selection where you just choose three it is broken down into three categories and you choose one item from each. Last month was a fantastic choice. This month, not so much. However let’s start first with the two items that Ipsy chose for me.

The first is SeoulKleen Probiotics Balancing Cleanser. In general I like cleansers. I have never heard of this brand and I like trying new brands. However I had two cleansers in last months bag so having them choose a cleanser for me this month is a bit annoying. I am still interested in trying it so I’m not complaining, I am just slightly annoyed at the product type being chosen for me this month.

The second item chosen for me did make me smile thought. It is the Vitabrid C 12 Wrinkle Serum. We’ve seen a lot of Vitabrid products recently and some are better than others. The reason I found it amusing is because there is no tip toing around the name. It is not a fine line eraser, or a skin plumper although I’m sure it does both, It is a straight up wrinkle serum. Which, let’s face it, is what those fine lines really are. So thumbs up for telling it like it is.

The first of the items I chose was the Volition Yaupon Glow Awakening Moisturizer. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even look at the other items in that choice category. They could have been fabulous or horrific and I couldn’t tell you. I saw the volition moisturizer and said ‘Mine’ even as I clicked to select it. I love Volition products. Their sunscreen is hands down the best I’ve tried. I adore their Snow mushroom serum and love their celery green clean moisturizer. I can’t wait to try this product out. Admittedly I actually will have to because I’m in the middle of a skin care trial, but I am really happy to have it in line and waiting.

The second category had the Defiance eye shadow Palette by Karmela Cosmetics. I have never heard of the brand and it was the only product in the selection I found interesting, so I chose it. The colors look nice and it look s like an everyday wearable palette that really does suit me so I am not mad at it. I just am a little annoyed that it was the only thing in that selection slot that appealed to me or that IPSY hadn’t already sent me in the past. I know supply lines are still messed up so I am willing to cut them a little slack. And I do like the look of the eyeshadow palette.

It was the third category that kind of bothered me. It wasn’t good. I chose the About Face Light Lock lip gloss because I do like the about face lip paint. This packaging feels a lot cheaper than the lip paints and a lot more generic. I know it is designed to match the highlighter bottle but some how the packaging feels less luxe and more like it is a Too Faced Knock off. It smells vaguely minty but it isn’t strong in scent. And the color is a light pink that sheers out to nothing but shine and stickiness. I will give it a fair wear shot though so perhaps I will like it better once I forget that it was the only item in that category that I didn’t already have from an earlier IPSY

This was a strange month for me. With the exception of the lip gloss I really did like the products I received. It was slightly annoying to have another cleanser as I just received two from IPSY last month and it will be at least a few months before I get around to trying this product and the selection wasn’t optimal. There were a lot of repeats in the system At the same time I did get a moisturizer that I am thrilled by, a serum I know I will use and an eyeshadow palette I am curious to try. The products I ended up with I like, it was just the selection that got under my skin. I know it sounds like I am complaining for nothing, but with the items I was offered as a selection it felt like they were making my choice for me and just pretending that I got a choice.

‘You can choose anything from this list but only one item is something you haven’t gotten before,’ Even though I like the item I ended up with, it felt like my choice was already made. I’m hoping this was just a one off month and that next month the selection will be broader and an actual selection. We shall see. For now I have to rank IPSY as seventy percent fabulous and thirty percent irritation this month. Its still good, I just want to lower the irritation factor a bit.

Unboxing the IPSY Glam Bag Plus for January 2022

It is time to unbox the first IPSY Glam Bag Plus of 2022. (If you click on my IPSY links and then subscribe I do get points but otherwise the links are just to IPSY in general, they are general reference links every customer has not an affiliate link)) The Glam Bag Plus is $28 per month ($30.73 with taxes) For this you receive five full sized items. Two are chosen by IPSY based on your profile and three you choose from a selection of products. Some months they do better with this than others.

This month I really liked both of the products they selected, but the choice sections weren’t that great. Some months their choices are iffy and I want every item in their choose section. and then some months they hit it out of the park with both their choices and the ones they have you choose. There really isn’t any consistency with that and I think that part of the issue may simply be due to shipping related issues because they were, pre-pandemic, really good with that sort of thing. I think external forces may have thrown them off their game a bit.

Before we jump into this month’s products, i have a comment about last month’s. In my December IPSY a product was left out. I was sad and contacted IPSY. They were all over it and I was sent the missing product immediately. My e-mails were answered in a timely manner and with no fuss and I got my product. There is a lot to be said for customer service and I am really happy with IPSY’s Service. I just thought they should get a bit of recognition for that. But now, on to the box.

The first item out of my IPSY box made me smile. It is the Polaar Eternal Snow Youthful Promise Cream. (retail $57.48 although AllBeauty currently has a 50 ml jar – same product amount as the tube – for sale for $38.55, and the little ceramic jar is quite adorable too.). It made me smile because I just received a sample size of this cream in this month’s Look Fantastic. The picture is the full and sample sized tubes next to each other. When I finished the sample size I was trying out the past two weeks I rolled in the Eternal Snow Sample as my day cream. I Started it Saturday and thus far i absolutely love it. It is light weight and fast absorbing. My skin feels great honestly. I’m not actually surprised. At this point I have tried several Polaar products (and have a few samples in my drawer I want to try) and their products have always been very good. I will definitely be using this cream once the sample size is used up and I am happy to have it waiting in the wings.

The second item IPSY chose for me was the Girlactik Cranberry Sugar Face Scrub. (retail $28). It is a new Product from the brand and the only thing resembling skincare on their site. I’m always a little curious when brands start branching out and you know I really like sugar scrubs. I also really like cranberry so hopefully this will end up being a win for both me and the brand. It is certainly a possibility. And I for one how it is realized.

The third item I took out of my box was the FoxyBae 12 in 1 Magic Daily Leave in Mask. ($15.95) I really like FoxyBae. I have used both their hair masks and their spray leave in conditioner (the large size of this also comes in a spray form). This mask (I opened it) is a leave in conditioner and it has the same scent as all of the other FoxyBae Products I’ve tried. It is like an almost baby powdery scent mixed with a light floral scent. I really like the scent and as their masks and other leave in conditioners have always worked well for me, I am really looking forward to trying this out. I especially like that not only is it a leave in conditioner you can apply to wet or dry hair, but it is also a heat protectorate so you don’t have to add a second product in when you use it. I am very much looking forward to this hair mask.

The next item is also a skincare product (this month was pretty skincare heavy) the item I chose was the Sonage Collagen Boosting Serum (retail $48). I don’t think I’ve ever tried Sonage products before, or if I did they weren’t that memorable. I chose this product specifically because it is a topical Collagen product. I know Collagen is important to hair, skin and nail health (as well as joints I believe) and it is really good stuff. I am just not sold on a topical application. I’m not entirely sold on the internal supplements either to be honest. This isn’t to say either the internal or topical treatments don’t work. I just haven’t done my research. And I haven’t tried any products because I simply didn’t purchase them. Now I have a collagen product I will do my research before using it and then try it out. And to be fair there was nothing else in the category that sort of jumped out at me so I thought it was the perfect time for a little research.

And now we come to the fifth product and it is a makeup item. It is the So Pretty Palette from Formula Z. (retail $25) I’ll be honest I chose it partially because it was a makeup item and partially because I had never heard of the brand. The other part was the copper glitter. Oh my darlings I suspect i will be making a mess with this in the very near future and possibly regret this decision as the glitter goes everywhere. But it is copper glitter. And I was helpless to resist. So I will be giving this palette a try. Soon, very soon. Possibly today.

Yeah that copper glitter is going to get me in trouble. I can tell.

While those were all of the items in my official January bag, you may notice another item poking it’s head out in the pictures. That is the Grace and Stella Hyaluronic Acid Serum. It is a sample size and I picked it up with my points. Each month IPSY gives you points for reviewing the items in your bag. I tend to forget about them and then dip into the account and see that I’ve accumulated a lot. Because let’s face it, I like to review things. I also Like Grace and Stella. Their energizing eye patches get me through every allergy season. I always stock up every spring. This year though, they have a new eye patch to their line up so I may stock up and then add in some of the new ones to try. But seriously, if you get puffy allergy eyes, give those eye patches a try. Ten to Fifteen minutes under the eyes and not only takes down some of the puffiness, it makes you feel more awake. And counterbalances the not so awake feeling sinus meds can leave behind. In a nice, topical sort of way.

Of course since I like them so much I tend to go on the site, order my eye patches and leave. So when I saw the HA serum was in the points rewards, I snapped it up. I like HA serum, I like Grace and Stella. If I like this serum, I might add it to my shopping list when I do my spring ordering. And since I haven’t rotated in a second serum to my line up like I planned, this one might just go straight into the skincare line up.

But that is is for my January IPSY. It was a good mouth for me. Choice selection was a little on the thin side, but I ended up with products I want to try, so I really can’t complain. Plus now I have no excuse to put off my collagen research. all in all, two thumbs up for IPSY this month. It was well worth the price of the subscription and I think it is a great start to a new year.

IPSY Glam Bag Plus Unboxing, December 2021

IPSY, Oh IPSY. This month I was very much looking forward to my Glam Bag plus. On choice day I looked over the products they chose and for the first time in a long time there were products in each category of choice that I wanted, so I was really happy with the selection of products. And then my bag arrived with a product missing. So I now have to go through their IPSY Care system.

It’s not a major deal as I’m sure it will be settled one way or another, but it is always annoying to have to go through the care Bots and convince them to leave a message for a person who will hopefully later get back to you.

The product missing this month was the Aceology Brightening Treatment mask. I’ve tried the trial size of this mask and really liked it so I was looking forward to having the full size. Hopefully they will still have it in stock and send it along.

Despite this disappointment I am still pretty happy with my box this month.

The first item I pulled out of the box was the Shaina B Miami Nights eyeshadow Palette. This is definitely a me palette. It has rosy tones and it has the addition of a stunning silver shade. In general I like Shaina B eyeshadows so I am very much looking forward to playing around with this palette.

The second item I pulled out of my bag was another makeup item and it was the Rodial Glass Primer. I am always happy to give a new primer a try. Rodial is a hit or miss brand with me but what I do like from them I really like so hopefully this will fall into that category. Either way I am happy to give it a try and it was nice to see two makeup items in this month’s box.

The third item is a set of nail polishes from Complex culture. They are called Thrive and dream. One is a kind of mid-century modern green and the other is a green toned gold. Since Complex Culture is an IPSY owned brand we have seen several products from them before, but I haven’t tried their nail polishes. I actually chose this set because they aren’t colors I have in my collection. The Gold I have a version of but it is an extremely old nail polish from Revlon that I just can’t give up. If this gold performs well and is similar in tone to the ancient Revlon one I might be able to convince myself to let it go. So here’s hoping.

This month I also received the Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Glow Moisturizer. I have not tried this moisturizer (and always love trying new moisturizers) I have also always had good luck with Kate Somerville. I really love the Exfoliator and in fact it was an add on this month so I have it as well. And the Cleanser from the same line was available in the Boxy Charm Drop shop (which I think is still open if you are shopping) this month so I have that coming as well. Sometime soon I may have A Kate Somerville heavy skincare line up. Which I may not have really planned, but I can’t say I am mad about.

So that was my IPSY Glam Bag Plus for December. Am I still annoyed by the missing mask? Yes. And am I still happy with the bag this month? Yes. This was a very good month. I will use every item and I am in fact looking forward to using every item that was in my bag. The only reason that the missing item was such a bummer was that I was looking forward to using it as well. All in all though, this was a very good Ipsy Month. And I am sure that at some point the missing item will be sent my way. And then I will have another mask to use.

The IPSY Glam Bag X November 2021 Unboxing

Good morning and look what arrived on my doorstep! It was kind of a surprise actually as I never received a tracking e-mail of any sort. Plus the Postman seemed to have approached the door on little cat’s feet, sneaking up to the door, dropping off the package and racing away before anyone knew he was there. I almost tripped over the box when I opened the door. I think we have a ‘holiday mailman’ right now as our usual one always knocks when leaving a package, even if he doesn’t wait for an answer.

No knock this time.

This month was the IPSY Glam Bag X. The X for this month was Huda Katan. It was an interesting mix of products. The X months are quarterly and instead of the normal $30 price it is $60. This is the first year that they have done the X and this is the fourth quarter of the year so I’ve had one full year of the subscription to decide if I want to keep it. The First one was excellent, the second one was barely so so and the third one was really good. Before I make my decision on the subscription (which I will make in December) let’s see what November holds. Honestly its hard to tell.

The first item out of the box this month it the PMD BEAUTY Clean Smart Facial Cleansing Device in Warmth (retail $99, although the site has a 40% off with code FRIENDS40 – I saw the code when I picked up the link and have no association with PMD). I actually have one of these and I really like it. Mine is getting a bit worn out so I was contemplating getting another vibrating facial tool. I like the silicone covered ones and actually I was looking at the Foreo. Partially because they are having a large sale right now and partially because I kind of like them better. I’ve been eyeing several of their tools for a while now and will probably still go for the UFO masking tool. Especially now that I have the new PMD cleansing tool. I can pick up the UFO tool and not worry that I need to replace the cleansing tool. So for me it was actually quite timely.

The second item is the HUDA BEAUTY Glow Coco Hydrating Mist ($35). I’ll admit, the first thing I thought was that it was going to smell like coconut. But I don’t think coco is short for coconut. I don’t think it is short for cocoa either. It has a somewhat perfume-y scent. The spray is a very fine mist which I like and I really don’t mind the scent too much. However it is one of those sprays that when I use it on my face I have to curl my lips in first because it actually tastes like perfume. It will be interesting to see how it performs. Not my favorite, but I do like the spray. Perhaps it will wow me.

The CÉLA Masque De Glacier Clay Mask (retail $40) was the third item chosen for me. I am perfectly fine with this as I love masks and I really like the brand Cela. I’ve had several hand creams and body lotions from them before and they always feel fantastic on the skin. I haven’t tried any face products but I do love clay masks. So I’m pretty happy with this.

The fourth item that Ipsy chose for me was the RARE BEAUTY With Gratitude, Dewy Lip Balm in Honor (retail $16). It is a clear lip balm. There is no scent to it and it has a nice case. Would I have chosen it? No. But I haven’t tried anything from Rare Beauty before so it is nice to try something from a brand not usually featured. I am pretty well stocked on clear lip balms at the moment so it isn’t all that exciting, but I will at least get to try the formula.

The next three Items I did get to choose from a selection of items. The selection was okay. Not fabulous, but not absolutely awful either. There have been some months this year where it was clear there were some shipping issues. This was not one of those months. They had a decent selection for each category. So what did I choose from the list?

I chose the WISHFUL Thirst Trap Juice HA3 Peptide Serum (retail $47). I have been wanting to try this serum for a while now so I was thrilled it was actually part of the selections. I’m actually thinking of rolling it into my routine right away as I really miss having a hyaluronic acid serum in the line up. Lately I have been using a lot of brightening products. I like the vitamin c products, but I really miss my hyaluronic acid.

The ACEOLOGY Firming Treatment Mask (retail $69) was the next item I chose. I just finished a different mask from this line and I have a sample of at least two others. While I am generally not a huge fan of peel off masks, the Aceology ones have started to win me over. I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve tried and am happy to have a full size of another. And I am kind og glad it is the firming one. The other two I tried were the Lifting and the Brightening ones. They both worked really well so that gives me high hopes for the Firming mask. I may have to use it this week to see how well it performs.

OFRA COSMETICS Sitting Pretty Midi Palette (retail $35) was one of my options so I chose it. I like Ofra products in general, but the large highlighters and blushes take up a log of space when traveling and to be honest, I am never going to make it through one of those large highlighters. The small golden one in this palette is the perfect shade for me and I know I will wear it. I also like the travel size of the palette. And I have a larger palette from Ofra where the pans are all the same size so it will be easy to mix and match since the products all pop out of the palette. Having a reusable travel palette that fits the smaller Ofra Pans I have is always a good thing. Plus they are good products in general. And it is really nice to see makeup making a reappearance in the IPSY bags.

And finally, my last selection was the PATRICK TA BEAUTY Major Glow Softening Lip Masque in She’s Juicy (retail $22). I know, I am still working through the Laneige lip mask (and lusting after the holiday Gingerbread scented one), but I plan to keep this one on my desk to use throughout the day. And yes I know I kind of complained about the clear lip balm, but I really like the look of the container and it smells of delicious vanilla. Plus my desk lip balms keep getting knocked over and rolling under stacks of paperwork. Or hiding in desk shadows. Or simply getting knocked off the desk and disappearing into neverland. Personally, I think Tinkerbell may be stealing them. I like the square container that will stay where I put it. It won’t roll anywhere and maybe I’ll catch Tinkerbell or her minions in the act if they attempt to pilfer it.

And it is really pretty. Gold and frosted glass.

So that was my IPSY Glam Bag X for November. All in all it was a pretty good bag. Were there a couple of items I may not be too thrilled by? Yes. However even though I am not thrilled, I will still use them. A clear lip balm, unless it is super slimy, will almost always get used and As long as I tuck my lips in so that I don’t have to taste the perfume, I have no objections to the scent of the Huda Beauty Hydrating Mist. It is a pretty good month over all. Which means that of the four Glam Bag X boxes this year, only one was not great. The others were well worth the extra money. It will make this an interesting though process when I sit down to have my personal discussion with myself about next year’s subscriptions. There are several new ones I want to try, some not even beauty products related. I think that as my stockpile of subscription box skincare has grown, my desire to branch out has as well. So it will be an interesting sit down this year to see who stays and who goes. But for now, I am very happy with this month’s IPSY. It met my profile, had a decent selection in the choice categories and gave me products that I am happy to try out and I feel are well worth the value of the box. November was a good month for IPSY.

In case you were wondering about what I was talking about with the UFO Masking tool, I’ve posted links below. It just looks like so much fun to play around with. But hey, when do I not like masking…well anything. Also Foreo just launched an Imagination DIY Face Mask. I’m not sure how that works, but it is something i will definitely be looking into.

UFO 2 and UFO 2 mini by FOREO

Ipsy Glam Bag Plus October 2021 Unboxing

Oh my darlings, my IPSY bag arrived in the mail. Can you believe it? I can’t remember the last time my IPSY subscription arrived this early in the month. It is a Halloween miracle.

So shall we see what’s in the pretty pink mailer?

First off we have the bag for the month. I like the print. i think it is very appropriate for the month. I also wish it was on an actual makeup bag. I’ve mentioned my disappointment in the drawstring bags already. i think it feels more objectionable this month since I not only like the print but IPSY’s price went up. This Glam Bag Plus is now $28 per month ($30.73 with Tax). I know it is because postage and product prices have gone up, and I do understand that, but it does make the bag feel extra cheap.

But let’s face it, I am never really going to like the draw string bags.

And it really isn’t about the bag anyway. So lets get into the products.

The first item out of my bag I really can not complain about. The Dermelect Self Esteem Beauty Sleep serum is always going to be welcome at my house. I know it can be used all over my face, but quite frankly when I get this serum, I mostly use it on my neck. It has made it into my skin care line up many times in the past and will continue circling through the line up. I finished my most recent bottle a few months ago and have it on my to be repurchased list. Now it is here again and i don’t have to repurchase it. So we are off to a good start this month.

The second item in my bag this month is also welcome. It is the Wander Beauty Staycation Hydrating Mask. I had a sample size of this not too terribly long ago and really enjoyed it. It is very hydrating though so for me this is actually quite timely. It is the kind of mask I can use in the winter but can’t really use in the summertime. As it is October and the weather is sort of on the turn, soon I will be leaning into my hydrating masks. Since I enjoyed the sample i used, i am happy to try the full size out.

The third item that was chosen for my by IPSY this month was also the one makeup item in my bag. It is the Roen Cake Lash mascara. Oddly enough I have managed to blaze through a large number of my stockpiled mascaras. For a while it felt as though I was drowning in them. I even had a separate mascara stash. Now the few mascaras I have that are unopened have been mixed in with my other unopened products and no longer need their own drawer. To be honest i was hoping to whittle them down enough so that I can try out the My Little Mascara Club. I’ll probably still try the subscription out soon, but until then I have another mascara to try and as my stockpile is down, I’m not mad about receiving this. The lip gloss from Roen is the only item I’ve tried from the brand so i am happy to see what their other products are like. I won’t open it though until I am ready to use it. The wand on the website looks pretty good though.

I’m also happy there was at least one makeup item this month.

The next two items are items that I chose. The choose selection was pretty poor this month, but I was actually pleased to see these two items. The fist is the Murad Skin Smoothing Polish. You know I love a good exfoliator and Murad is a skin care brand that I trust. I am currently using the Annmarie Skincare Kaolin Clay Exfoliator but it will soon be used up and I am happy to have another exfoliator on standby.

Finally we get to the Tokyomilk French Kiss Perfume. I was very happy to see this as I am a fan of the Brand. one of my favorite winter perfumes is #85 Novacaine from Tokyomilk Dark. That one is both a winter scent and a night time scent. From the first sniff this seems like it would be more of a day time scent. I am actually looking forward to trying it out. (Also on the add ons I ordered another perfume from the Tokyomilk brand and I’ll be trying that one out as well).

There is one thing that concerns me a bit with the perfume though. It is a bit on the small side. I have it next to the regular sized bottle that i ordered from the brand. It is significantly larger than the bottle that came from IPSY. While I am happy with the size for a perfume the comparison does bother me a little since IPSY PLUS is supposed to be full sized items. It is possible that the bottle sizes for the brand have changed as I have had my bottle for a little while.

Size issues aside I am very happy with my bag for this month. It is heavy on the skincare which is slightly disappointing, but all of the items are ones that I will use. So I am actually quite happy. I do hope that next month leans a little more towards the makeup side of things, but really this is one of the better plus bags that they have sent in a while. It makes me very happy. It also makes my decision on what subscriptions to keep in the new year and which to let go a bit more difficult.

IPSY Glam Bag Plus September 2021 Unboxing

That’s right my darlings. We have reached the section of the month where unboxings sort of take over as subscription boxes start to arrive. This month has been strange as subscriptions that have been running late arrive early and the ones that usually arrive early are running late.

Apparently several of my packages have decided that they really like Smyrna, TN and have no desire to leave. I have no idea why. But it is one of the mysteries of the postal service.

One of the subscriptions that has been running late in the past few months is IPSY. Which is why I was surprised when my Glam Bag plus arrived mid month instead of towards the end. But arrived it has. Now normally I don’t say much about the draw string bags that now come with the IPSY Glam Bag plus subscription. It used to be actual makeup bags, now it is just a drawstring bag. I only mention this one because it actually feels a little less cheaply made than many in the past. I will actually be keeping this one and adding it to my travel kit. I like to keep underwear in small bags when I travel. I also was take too bags, one for clean and one for worn. And If I am traveling for a longer stretch I put a plastic ziptop bag inside the bag for the worn underwear just to keep everything super fresh until I can get to a laundry.

But that is besides the point.

What is to the point is that this is a $25 per month subscription. Or at least was. In October the price goes up to $27 per month. I have to say that given that IPSY hasn’t been spectacularly fabulous in the past few months, I’m not really sure how I feel about the price increase. I’ve had an IPSY subscription for a really long time, in one form or another and when I work out my end of year subscription evaluations and decide what subscription is going through with me to the next month, I never really considered dropping IPSY completely. This year that may change.

But on to the September products. In the Glam Bag Plus you receive five full sized products. Two they choose for you and three you pick from a selection. Let’s start with the two products they chose.

The first is the Murad Clarifying Oil Free Water Gel. In general I like Murad products. Currently in my skincare line up I have a Murad Toner that I am absolutely loving. The thing is, this moisturizer is designed for acne prone skin. While I am currently using an acne clearing product in my line up, I typically only need them once a month for hormonal break outs or if my skin has a reaction and breaks out. At the moment I am settling both at the same time, but that is a different story.

Because of this I tend only use acne fighting products once a month and rely on pore clearing masks to help with any clogged pores in the interim. The Clarifying cleanser from Murad is one that I will reach for periodically and it works really well, but I can only use it two days in a row before my skin dries out too much for me to use it. It is from the same line as this cleanser so I suspect it will be the same. I will hold the moisturizer until the current acne fighting one I am using (Neuralyze renewal complex, if you are curious) is finished, but that will take a while. It is a great brand, it is a pricy brand, and if you have acne prone skin it is a fantastic line of products. I’m not entirely certain it is going to be for me.

I know that is a lot to say about the first product, but for the moment it is important. One of the things that I always liked about IPSY is they pay attention to the beauty profile and your choices. I went back and looked and deliberately chose rarely for acne fighting products. Now one can say it is a fluke and perhaps I will end up enjoying it. However the second product they chose for me was also an acne fighting one.

The second item in my bag this month is the Neogen Dermalogy Intensive Blemish Care Foam Cleanser. Again, I like Neogen. I’ve tried a moisturizer from them that I really love. And to be fair I did put that I love cleansers because it is my most used category of skincare products (I also put that I love moisturizers for the record which I suspect is why they sent these). It’s the intense blemish control that I have issues with. So I will plan to try both of these when it seems appropriate, but suspect that before that comes around I will be passing them along to a younger relative who has this as more of a concern.

So now on to the three items I chose. I’ll be honest, while I do like the items I chose, the selection this month was awful. I literally chose the one product in each category that I thought would be okay.

The first is a Radiance Enzyme Scrub from the brand Juara. It is supposed to minimize pores, brighten, exfoliate and smooth. And I think by now we all know I love my exfoliators both chemical and physical. I try to limit them so I don’t scrub myself into a bad skin place, but I do enjoy them. Plus I don’t know all that much about this brand. I used a hand cream from them and while it worked nice I remember the scent being strong enough to make my eyes water. so it will be nice to try out something else.

The next item was a lip balm from the brand Mischo Beauty. I vaguely recall trying something from them a while back, but I can’t actually remember what it was or how I felt about it. I think it might have been a nail polish. This tinted lip balm looks good, has no scent to it and is in a shade that I very often use. So it could be a very good thing.

Lipstick swatch above, blush swatches below

The final item in the bag this month was a set of liquid blushes from the YC Collection. I was very relieved to open them and find they had do foot applicators. When I looked at them on line they just have liquid dots of product next to the contain so I was worried it would be just a liquid pour. I’ll be honest though, the swatches doo not enthuse me. They both look a little orange in tone. I love blush in… well pretty much any formula though, so I’ll try them out, but I’m not so certain these colors will work for me. Perhaps once blended they will surprise me.

I did choose two add ons this month as well and to be honest, those are the two products I am the most excited about receiving. Well, I say two products, but I mostly just ordered two of the same thing. It’s the Tatcha Rice Cleanser. So at least I know I’ll have one cleanser I can use in this lot. It just more than likely won’t be the one IPSY Chose for me.

I know not every month is going to be fantastic with every subscription box. However it has been a rough year for IPSY. I hate sounding down on subscriptions, especially one that I have really loved for so long, but there may be some serious end of year reevaluation where my subscription is concerned if this sort of trend continues. There are after all many other subscriptions out there. Perhaps, it is time for a change.

August 2021 IPSY Glam Bag X

It is time now for the Quarterly IPSY Glam Bag X box. Each quarter IPSY has the possibility of upgrading your Glam Bag Plus to an IPSY X. There is a price increase though. On the Glam Bag X months you don’t get your regular Glam Bag Plus. The total cost is $55 ($60.36 with all applicable taxes for me). This is the first year of the Glam Bag X and the third box they have done. The boxes come out quarterly releasing in February, May, August and November. I’m pretty sure the months were chosen so that they didn’t conflict with the Boxyluxe Months. Each quarter IPSY partners with someone for the box. The first box was with Patrick Ta, the second with Khloe Kardashian and this third box is with Halsey.

With the increased price, there are increased expectations, at least on my part. The first box (IPSY X Patrick Ta) was fantastic. The second box (IPSY X Khloe Kardashian) was a major let down. Let’s see what the third box with Halsey is like, shall we?

The first item in my IPSY X this month was the Herbivore Botanicals Emerald Deep Moisture Glow Oil (retail $48). Herbivore is one of those brands that I have heard a lot of people rave about, but I honestly don’t know all that well. There was an Herbivore Mask in a previous Glam Bag X. I used it a couple of times but haven’t really used it enough to get a real feel for it. I am happy to try something else out from the brand though.

The second item in this month’s box was an About Face Light Lock Highlighter. (retail $32) I was sort of expecting something from About Face as that is Halsey’s brand and it would be quite strange if something form her product line wasn’t in the box.

The packaging is beautiful. I really like the cap that goes over the dropper. It just sort of makes it feel a little more lux. It also makes the liquid highlighter bottle rather large. The highlighter itself is a lovely golden color, which tends to suit my skin tone better than many silver toned ones. I am actually really looking forward to trying it out.

The third item was the one I was most anticipating. It is the Tatcha Silk Canvas Filter Finish Primer (retail $52). You know I love a good primer. I have actually used this one before and really enjoyed it. The last time I had this primer I used every speck of product before finally letting it go. It is great under foundation, but I really liked it when I didn’t feel like wearing much makeup so I would just apply it and dust powder over and call it good. I am thrilled to have another one of these primers in my collection.

The Nue co is a brand I have used before and rather like. This box had the Barrier Culture Cleanser. (retail $42). I have never tried the Nue Co’s cleanser and am looking forward to giving it a go. I am always up for a good cleanser and it is one of those skincare categories that always gets used. I may skip a serum now and again, but I always use the cleanser.

One of my choice items in this month’s box was the Laniege Lip Sleeping mask in Berry (retail $22). I have used the Laneige lip masks before and really like them. In fact the one I used last was Berry. It would have been nice to try the Apple Lime scent as I haven’t given that a go, but even though it was an option in the grand scheme of things, only the berry was in my choice section.

But even without the scent choice, I am happy. This is a mask you need so little of to coat your lips, so the product lasts a really long time. And it comes with the cutest little silicone spoon to apply it. With this mask I like the spoon not only because it keeps the mask from contamination by fingers, but it also lets you take out a smaller amount. When I try to apply this mask with my fingers I always end up with too much and end up wasting it. The little spoon is the perfect size for applying it cleanly and easily.

This month I received a Fenty Beauty Mascara. It is the Full Frontal Mascara. (retail $ 24). Those of you who read my daily posts know that I just finished up a tube of this mascara and sent it to the empties bin. It is an okay mascara. It isn’t fabulous. It is a mascara I will use if it is here, but I won’t go looking for it when it runs out. I will add it to my unopened drawer and eventually put it into circulation. I am okay with having the mascara in the box. It isn’t my favorite item, but it is a decent product.

Surprisingly, the last two items in my box this month, both choice items for me, weren’t even listed in the newspaper/pamphlet they sent with the box. The first of these was the Elemis Skin Buff (retail $41). I love Elemis and I am a big fan of exfoliators, so you know when I saw it on the list of options, I swooped in.

I’ve used this product before and really liked it. It is gentle enough to use once a week, at least for me. I wouldn’t use it every day, but for a once a week exfoliation it is fantastic. I will admit that the box looked like it had been through the wars by the time I excavated it from my Glam Bag X. The box was crunched and beaten. The product inside was fine so there aren’t any problems, but the box did look rough.

Finally there was the Saints and Sinners Hair Velvet Leave in conditioner. (retail $20). I’ve tried one product from Saints and Sinners and I remember liking it but I can’t remember what the product was. I think it might have been a heat protector, but I’m not entirely certain. I am looking forward to trying out the leave in conditioner. I really like leave in conditioners actually.

I thought it was a little strange that two of my items didn’t make it into the product information sheet. However I really liked this box. It is one of the better boxes we have received in a while. It had a good mix of skincare, haircare and makeup. In the selection categories, there were multiple products in each category that looked like items I would want to select. In the past the options weren’t all that great. This month was different. There were options and I had to actually think about what I wanted to choose. In addition the items chosen for me were based on my profile.

The value ended up being $281 so it was well worth the cost of the box. However more importantly to me the box contained products that I like and want to use. There is nothing in this box that I won’t try actually. There are a couple of things I am thrilled to receive. In addition the box felt special. It felt luxe to receive. As this is the first year of the category, I know there are going to be some bumps along the way. I planned to give the box a full year to see how I felt about it and to decide if I wanted to continue on with it. After May I was mostly certain that I was going to let this box go at the end of the year. Now I am not so certain. It was a fantastic box and I am very happy to have received it. IPSY has had a bit of a bumpy year this year, but the Glam Bag X from Halsey for the month of August, gets two thumbs up. Hopefully this is the start of an upward trend.