February 2018 Ipsy Review

Ipsy is a $10 monthly subscription service that delivers a makeup bag and 5 samples (skincare, makeup, hair care or fragrance) to your doorstep based on a custom profile you create (you can make a profile without being a paid subscriber, by the way). I've been a subscriber for over 2 years now and I still enjoy it quite a bit, even though I've become encumbered by samples that I have to pawn off on friends at times. This is partially due to my compulsively subscribing to other services such as Birchbox, Play! by Sephora, and the occasional Target Beauty Box, all of which have been reviewed on this site. February's Ipsy was a bit of a mixed bag, if you will. Har, see what I did there? To the point where I really don't feel like adding much preamble. The bag itself bag was pretty cute, reminiscent of March 2016's rose gold bag not not as well executed in quality or design. February included:

• Hey Honey Come Undone Face & Eye Daily Makeup Remover - $9.60 CF
• Sand & Sky Brilliant Skin Pink Clay Mask -  $12.50
• Trèstique Mini Eye Pencil in Swiss Chocolate - $13.93
• Beaute Basics Eyeshadow in Sweet Taffy - $14.99
• Luxie Beauty Blending and Shading Eye Brush #249 -$14 (estimated value) CF, V

 CF = Cruelty Free

 V = Vegan

Makeup remover

Lip balm

Hey Honey Come Undone Makeup Remover is basically petroleum jelly in a tube. It says it’s safe for eyes but it did burn a bit when I tried to use it as an eye makeup remover. Instructions say to apply it to wet skin but I find that to be a bit less effective. It was also a struggle to wash off and left a filmy coating on my face afterward. Cute idea, but really, I think I could fare better with an inexpensive rub of petroleum jelly. I also claimed a Hey Honey Besame Mucho lip balm with points I had stashed up because this is a pretty sweet lip balm.

I’m always glad to see skincare and I was excited to try something new, a pink clay mask by Sand & Sky. This stung so much on my face that I thought “maybe it wasn’t wise to chase an exfoliating scrub with acclaim mask” (I was thinking of having open pores. Yes, I am an idiot). But when I tried using it again some days later after a benign cleansing and still experienced uncomfortable stinging I determined it was the mask itself. I’ve since killed the remaining product off but there was no love lost here.

Follow up: Holy Christ I had to zoom in so far on a desktop to be able to see the volume on the full sized product and get an estimate. I believe I read 1.96 fl oz US, but I'm not positive so my above value is an estimate. I absolutely hate their website. It looks disreputable and it makes me distrust the product. I wish I saw it before I finished the tube because that would have resulted in it going straight into the trash can. 

 

I love Trèstique packaging and have been making use of brown liners lately on my upper lash line but this wasn’t my favorite product of the month. As I said before I love the packaging and I also love the fine tip on the retractable liner, it makes it so much easier to line my lids. The pencil itself isn't my favorite formula though. The sample size is relatively large considering how cute and tiny the packaging is but the liner itself is on the drier side so it’s not ideal for tightlining. The dry consistency works well for my lid though because it doesn’t easily smudge or melt away with my natural face oil that builds up throughout the day.

I haven’t had any issues with Beaute Basics in the past other than receiving a  private label Crown Brush blush brush in the past, making me side eye all of their other products. In actuality, my only annoyance there was the confusion trying to figure out the brand, otherwise it’s one of my better blush brushes, but I digress. I got the shade Sweet Taffy which is a beautiful pink/coral shade with a satin finish. Ipsy stepped outside of their neutral box with this one and hit out of the park. It’s pigmented, very soft, crazy creamy for a powder and applies beautifully.

Lastly is the Luxie Beauty Blending and Shading Eye Brush #249. I was torn on this one because while I love lucid brushes I greatly dislike double ended brushes for storage reasons. That gripe aside, I love this brush! The shading side packs shadow beautifully and the blending end is not too dense and it is soft and fluffy enough to allow my novice ass to blend the single eyeshadow I wear in a day into an acceptable look. And that rose gold look just tops it off, no?

Trèstique (left), Beaute Basics (right) in indirect natural lighting

The total value of my bag is roughly $65.02 but this just goes to show you that a higher monetary value does not equate to a higher personal value as some of my best bags have been in the $30 range. For all of my complaining, I got a usable eyeshadow and regardless of it being double ended I always love getting brushes! The cute design of the bag didn’t hurt either, though I wish it were a little sturdier. I learned in my adult years that I’m a sucker for rose gold and a romantic blushing rose. The items were surprisingly light (for Ipsy) on the cruelty free front and though the company tried with the curation, the execution of a lot of the items fell flat for me. I know I’ve mentioned it here before but I love how Ipsy tends to curate functional, cohesive bags. Even if the products aren’t always great, I can use the brush with the shadow and liner and I have cleansers and skincare to follow up with. The only thing they could have done better was a mascara (that I’m drowning in right now) or a base (which would never match) so I say well played!