♥ April Ipsy Unboxing + March Review ♥

♥ April Ipsy Unboxing + March Review ♥

Ipsy is a monthly subscription box for beauty/skin/hair products.

Cost: $10 per month

They ship to the U.S., and Canada

There is a wide variety of options for Ipsy bags. You take a quiz when you first sign up (this can be retaken as many times as you like). This effects what is in your bag each month.

Each time you get a bag you have the option of reviewing the items you received. I've found that this is the best way to effect what you get in your bag each month. The more reviews you complete the more likely you are to like your bags.

For each item you review you receive 10 ipsy points. You can spend these points on rewards that seem to be leftovers from all the bags.

Here is my referral link

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=1wq8x

I was not given this box. All opinions are my own. Based off my preferences! :D

Three items sealed: Two items NO seal

1. Moroccanoil Treatment for hair - Luxury Size - 10ml $17.60 (Full Size 25ml $44)

My First Impression:
Hair oil. As I have the oiliest hair ever grown... I wasn't exactly happy about getting this. However, as it says below this is THE original. I'm looking forward to using it to compare it to all of its followers.

Website Claims:

-Get the silky, shiny and healthy hair, nourished, manageable and smooth hair, detangles, speeds up drying time and boosts shine

-Moroccanoil® Treatment is the product that pioneered oil-infused hair care and created the worldwide buzz on argan oil.

-Can be used as a conditioning, styling and finishing tool

- Infused with antioxidant-rich argan oil and shine-boosting vitamins

Winner of many awards

Ipsy Website Claims:

STYLIST TIP:
Start from the bottom up! Focus oil application on your ends before running your fingers through the body of wet or dry hair.

2. Trust Fun Beauty That Glo Tho Face Highlighter - Full Size - 0.15oz $20

My First Impression:

I have soo many highlights but I like the shape, packaging, and color of this one. It has a sickly sweet smell (whyyy?) Blends BEAUTIFULLY.

Website Claims:

It is high performance, comes on smooth and lasts all day and night.

Vegan, free of toxic chemicals, and not tested on animals. 

Ipsy Website Claims:It's totally buildable and has an ultra-blendable formula

STYLIST TIP:
Apply highligher to your cheekbones, cupid's bow, chin, bridge of nose and forehead for lit-from-within radiance.

3. Luxie Beauty Dreamcatcher Tapered Highlighter Brush #522 - Full Size - $10 (Purple Dreamcatcher Brushes only sold in 15 brush set for $150)

My First Impression:

As you can see above it is one of the items that came to me broken. I tried putting the two parts together (there is dried glue in the hole) but it doesn't fit well (the handle rocks back and forth). This makes it ironic considering their website claim below about the brushes being designed/redesigned for maximum precision and control.... I have contacted Ipsy about this problem and they got back to me within 7hrs and sent out some sort of replacement for this item and the other item below that arrived broken.

I want to add that I have THREE other Luxie brushes (the pink above) that are PERFECT without a single issue. These dreamcatcher brushes seem to be from the past holidays and they are unloading them.

Website Claims:

- Silky soft and gentle enough for all skin types

- Each makeup brush is designed, and some redesigned, for maximum precision and control in makeup application.

Features:

-Periwinkle color

-100% Cruelty-free

-100% Vegan

-100% Paraben-free

-Coated with antibacterial solution

-Premium Grade Fibers

Tapered Highlight Brush 522– Redisigned- More Tapered. Great for: Powder/Liquid Highlight, Baking Technique, Undereye Setting Powder, Contour, Lightweight Undereye Concealor 

4. Tarte Cosmetics LipSurgence lip creme in "wonder (poppy)" - Luxury Size - 1.6g $12.83 (Full Size 3g $24)

My First Impression:

Bummer. This item came melted into the top of the cap. I will have to scrap it out and see if I can fill a little container or something. Like I said above I contacted Ipsy about this problem and they responded within 7hrs of my email and sent out a replacement with tracking number and separate from my April bag! 

I'll post next month my extras!

4 shades: Wonder (poppy), Serene (apricot pink), Illusion (rose berry), Empowered (soft pink)

Website Claims:

- Ultra-moisturizing, full coverage lip crème

- Rich, creamy color veil with a luxurious texture. 

- With vitamins (A, C, E), maracuja

Ipsy Website Claims:

- Eco-chic, cruelty-free product

- Infused with their famous maracuja oil

-Doubles as cheek tint

5. Starlooks Luxe Longwear Mechanical Eye Pencil in "Jet" - Full Size - $16

My First Impression:

I went a little crazy on the swatches and broke the tip off. :/ Ha ha. Whoops. I love the way it feels and it is mechanical. 

Ipsy Website Claims:

- Intensely-pigmented

- Ultra-soft 

- Without pulling or scratching.

Total spent for the bag: $10

Total bag is worth: $76.43

Total saved: $66.43

MARCH IPSY REVIEW

Link to the unboxing

1. Marc Anthony Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco 3 Day Smooth Perfect Blow Dry Cream - Luxury Size - 50ml $2.25 (Full size 200ml for $8.99)

Passed this along to a friend

 2. NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick  in "Soft Spoken" 4ml - Full Size - $7
- Love the color!
- Doesn't get matte enough (more satin than matte)
- Wears well - starts to fade inside lips first but not bad
- Favorite (except now that it is warmer I never feel like wearing this darker color)

 3. Manna Kadar Beauty Fantasy 3-in-1 Blush, Eyeshadow, and Highlight - Full Size - 3g $19
- Amazing shade
- No fall out
- Pigmented
- Shimmer
- NEVER use for blush/highlight (weird)

 4. Pixi by Petra Beauty Blush Duo in "Rose Gold" without kabuki brush Luxury - size - $11.76
- Lovely blush color/wears well
- Too yellow as a highlight but I used it under my eyes to mask my under eye darkness!

 5. Beau Gâchis Paris Eyeshadow Brush - Full Size - $12
- Brush! lol Like it. It is soft, firm enough, doesn't shed.

Thank you so much for following along.

♥ April Ipsy Unboxing + March Review ♥

♥ April Ipsy Unboxing + March Review ♥ 

Ipsy is a monthly subscription box for makeup products.

I was not given this box. All opinions are my own. Based off my preferences! :D

Cost: $10 per month

They ship to the U.S., and Canada

First... isn't this bag adorable?! I'm in love with it. I had to add this second picture in. I can't stop looking at it and touching it. Every month I think Ipsy out does itself with these adorable bags. Personally I think are worth the $10 themselves! It has a silky light grey lining in it and the signature ipsy zipper pull. I think I might use this in my purse! I use most of my ipsy bags for storage and travel. I just took THREE away with me on a mini vacation. This one might be an everyday bag though. This bag is a wicker-ish matieral but is VERY flexible.

I also added this picture to note that the blush came in a box that had the color labeled "tango" on it but the blush inside is clearly "charmed" (see below) but also that this Lather lotion came in a ziplock bag to protect against spills which I appreciate! It was sealed and did not spill thank fully.

1.Lather Ultra Light Face Lotion Deluxe 1oz $10.50 (Full size is 2oz $21)

I haven't tried this yet and I'm wary to. I have extremely oily skin and moisturizing never seems to work out. I have a nice regime going right now that has been consistent. So, I'll introduce it and see what happens. I like the smell as well. It has a nice fresh green smell to it that I can't pin point! On my hand it did remain kind of tacky so I'm not sure about this just yet! I'll let you know next month. For now though I'm happy to have this in my bag.

2. TheBalm Cosmetics Nude Dude Mini Eyeshadow in "Flirty" $3 (sample based on how many are in the palette)

I'm pretty sure all subscribers got this item but I'm not sure about the shade. I love the color I got but I'm curious if there were any other shades sent out. From what I've seen it is all "flirty" and nothing else. It isn't in your face with the shimmer as you can see in the photos above. When the light hits it though this color sings! I adore that mauvey color with a golden shimmer. Just lovely. 

3. MICA Beauty Cosmetics Eye Primer deluxe size 4g $22.47 (full size is 8g for $44.95)

I haven't tested this items durability out yet but I will let you know next month how it faired. I just got rid of an eye primer so this has its own spot in my collection now. Hopefully it preforms well! It does blend out nicely. There is only one shade because it does blend into my skin flawlessly. I've used some in the past with colors that I don't care for.

4. Hikari Cosmetics Blush in "Charmed" FULL SIZE $15 (My container SAYS "Tango" but I clearly recieved the color "Charmed" See below.

Wow! This blush is huge. I feel like.. I will own this for the rest of time. It is a SUPER bright pink color which I can't see myself using. I'll give it a few tries and if it doesn't work for me I'll pass it along. No need to waste this beautiful blush! NOTE: After looking at the 7 shades available on their website I feel as though I've gotten the color "charmed" and not what mine says which is "tango". What I got is a BRIGHT pink and the website has a much more (my style) muted pink mauve color. What do you think? I'll add the picture of mine in between these two.

This top color is "Charmed"

 This bottom color is "Tango"

5. Mullein & Sparrow Tinted Lip and Cheek Balm FULL SIZE $22 ? (no size is listed but it looks like the website product and is filled to the top)

This is such a weird product! It is organic, all natural, handmade, and vegan! Which is all very good. It doesn't have much of a tint at all as you can see from my before and after above. It has a very oily texture I'm assuming is from the ingredients (sunflower oil, extra virgin olive oil, shea butter, candelilla wax, cocoa butter, alkanet root, carnauba wax, and patchouli and orange essential oils) Only having 9 understandable ingredients is a plus as well. 

I don't smell any of the patchouli (thank goodness.. not a good lip smell me thinks) but I do smell the orange and cocoa butter! This smells like Christmas for me because I love eating chocolate oranges around Christmas. 

Some cons are that the tin is extremely difficult to open. Ugh. Ha ha. I've had to open this several times already and I never want to open it again. It comes off on everything and my lips didn't feel that soft or anything after wearing it. I have mixed feelings about this. I wish I knew the expiration (I'm assuming it isn't going to save until xmas when I'll REALLY enjoy it i.e. chapped lips and chocolate/orange cravings because it is all natural and they don't typically last without preservatives.)

Total spent for the bag: $10

Total bag is worth: $72.97

Total saved: $62.97

Wow! This is.... the highest valued bag I've received from Ipsy to date. I do question the prices a little bit but still (I usually do for most bags lol I'm not someone who has the kind of money to spend on high end). I know this tinted lip balm (which I would NEVER use on your cheeks regardless of claims. All that OIL!) for $22?? I feel like this looks like someone I could mix and put in a tin myself. Print the label out and sell. The eye primer as well doesn't look as professional for the expensive price as the other items do. I wouldn't doubt for a second that I have $15 worth of blush in that Hikari container! It looks legit. The primer and this balm both look a little less. That eyeshadow is for SURE my favorite item in this bag and also happens to be the least expensive at $3 whole dollars. Ha ha. 

MARCH IPSY BAG REVIEW

Link to unboxing

Coolway glow finishing oil treatment sample size

I'm in love with this stuff. It makes my hair feel soft, doesn't make it oily faster, and has a great smell. I've almost used up my whole sample. However I have a backup of hair oils that I haven't used and this is expensive full size at a $30 for 3oz. So I won't be repurchasing unless I run out and don't find a better cheaper version.

Purlisse gentle makeup remover sample size

I didn't end up liking this product much. Regardless of the claim that it is gentle and soy... it burned my eyes (didn't use it to remove mascara!) just being near them. It was a little too thick, didn't do that great of job, and my face didn't feel cleaner after using it. 

Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in "fifty shades"

This is one of my only loose eyeshadows and I'm not a fan! This is a beautiful color but I hate reaching for it. I will keep it because I don't have a color like this in my eyeshadows yet but it is so messy, I hate it.

 Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil

Surprise! I actually LOVE this product. It is the highlight I reach for first. It is easy to apply and I just use my finger to blend it out. It isn't too pink for my skin tone and adds the perfect amount of shine without looking like a Twilight vampire. That will teach me to complain about getting highlighters!

NYX Butter lipstick in "Pops"

My favorite item in this bag by far. I love lipsticks as you know and you almost can't LOSE by sending one to me. I love the formula of the butter lipsticks. They feel like a longer lasting VERY pigmented tinted lip balm almost. Very hydrating. I reached for this constantly as something quick to put on and not clash with a outfit! 

Thank you so much for following along.