ipsy Glam Bag Review: March 2014

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My March 2014 ipsy bag is indeed Destination Beauty themed if your destination is somewhere tropical.

In case you are unfamiliar with ipsy, it’s a monthly sample subscription service. You pay $10/month and receive a cosmetic bag filled with four-five beauty samples. The bag’s contents are supposedly based on the results of an online quiz you complete regarding your beauty preferences. You receive some winner and some losers, but after subscribing for four months, I consider it a cheap thrill. 

Let’s unpack this month’s bag:

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First, I’ll share thoughts on my two, favorite products.

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I love crazy, bright nail polish colors. Pinks and reds make me feel too normal, so the gaudier the better. This full-sized product contains gritty material that make it textured. You’ll need two coats followed by a clear coat. By the second day, my nail looked dull and dirty, but a top coat would have preserved the effect.

You may notice the remnants of last month’s ipsy nail polish on the rest of my nails. They always end up looking terrible because I’m too impatient to wait for them to completely dry. Between dog ownership, typing, and cooking, my nails usually look chipped and smushed by the end of the first day. Do you have any suggestions?

Update: My friend who writes Iowa blog On the Banks of Squaw Creek let me know the product actually says, “no top coat.”  I totally missed that. 

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I have no complaints about this bareMinerals lipstick. It’s a little less than half of a full-sized product, but will last me a while since my full-sized lipsticks last at least a year. This color suits my complexion and the texture is beautifully smooth and moisturizing.

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I have mixed feelings about this eye shadow. As you can see, some of the colors are quite. . .tropical. I tried it out this morning and liked it more than I thought. The shadows are shimmery, but I could subtly apply the brown colors with a brush. Then, I applied the blue shadow with the tiny brush I use to apply my eye liner. It added a discreet sparkle without looking silly.

This full-sized product does not come with an applicator.

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Bah! Not another primer. I’ve got to figure out an algorithm on that beauty quiz to avoid primers and foundations.

This one first appears to have a tint, but is actually quite sheer with a slight shimmer. According to the description on ipsy’s site, it’s supposed to even-out skin tones and nurture skin with antioxidants and age-preventing ingredients.

I can’t say there’s anything wrong with this primer; it’s just that I’m not interested this type of product. I’ll never say never, but, for now, I already feel like I’m caking enough gunk onto my face between a moisturizer, sunscreen, foundation, and powder. Fortunately, I found a friend to make an ipsy trade. Nothing wrong with that.

Were you happy with your ipsy bag this month or do you subscribe to another monthly sample service?

4 Comments

  1. Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek

    My fingernails look like blue sandpaper today. 🙁

    Good idea on how to use the turquoise shadow! I just brushed some on my eyelid yesterday and it was ridiculous!

    • Jeni Flaa

      It’s kind of Barbie-ish.

  2. Michell

    I swear by Solar Speed Spray by Creative Nail Design to help set my manicures. I’ve used it for years. It’s a bit expensive but worth it in my opinion.

    • Jeni Flaa

      Thanks for the suggestion. I need to pick some of that out.

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