ipsy Review - August 2014

Guess who got both her ipsy and BIRCHBOX reviews done this month? This girl! We'll get right to it.

Starting with the good:



The makeup bag this month is super cute. I'm a sucker for polka dots and I love that this is shaped more like a pencil bag than their usually makeup bags. I will likely actually use this one to keep my makeup organized (or at least my plethora of eyeliners).

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (sample size)

I received a sample of this about a month ago directly from Urban Decay and loved it, so I was happy to get another one. My 3 rules for mascara are that it volumizes my lashes, stays on all day without flaking, and then comes off with minimal effort. The first 2 were definitely met. My eyelashes looked super full and it lasted all day. It wasn't the easiest to get off, but it didn't take a ton of scrubbing so I'd say that rule was met too. I can definitely recommend this one.

Jersey Shore Mongongo Organic Anti-Aging Lip Balm (full size)

I'm very particular about my lip balm so I was pleasantly surprised with this. It immediately relieved my dry lips and kept them moisturized for hours. I have issues with most lip balm making my lips feel dryer after an hour or so. That was not the case here. This stuff lasted.


Paula's Choice Clear Ultra-light Daily Mattifying Fluid SPF 30+ (sample size)

I couldn't decide if I really loved this stuff, but in the end, I couldn't think of anything bad about it except that I didn't like the way it smelled. It was a lot thinner than my usual moisturizer too, but I couldn't deny it was effective. It moisturized, mattified, and offered sun protection. It squeaked by into the good category.

There wasn't anything in the bad category in this month's bag so we'll move onto the meh:


Lord & Berry Silk Kajal Kohl Eye Pencil (sample size)

There was nothing stand-out amazing about this eyeliner, and there was transference to my upper lid, so it wasn't great. However it wasn't as bad as the Noir eyeliner from my BIRCHBOX. Also, after reading the website, it looks like it's one of the only eyeliners tested and approved safe for inner eyeline use. I guess I will have to try it in that capacity although the thought of getting that close to my eye with it scares me.


Coastal Scents Forever Blush Sample Duo (sample size)

OK. So I know I went into a long explanation on my BIRCHBOX review about how I try to make sure I try all the products, but I didn't try this one. Why? Because I don't need blush. I have naturally rosy cheeks, and I don't feel the need to do any contouring. So this sample was a waste on me, but since there wasn't anything wrong with it, it goes in the meh category.

This month they finally updated their rewards point bonus items so I picked up 2 extra items using points:


Eyetini Cordial Cream Shadow in Ambrosia (full size)

This freebie is worth $18 so I was super happy about that. I also love cream eyeshadow. I think it's because it blends easier making it easier to apply. At least this novice thinks so. This was a good color too; pretty neutral so it gives just enough oomph to my eyes (please tell me I used that semi-colon correctly).


Sugar Line n' Shine Eyeliner Pencil and Bonus Sharpener (full size)

I found this eyeliner to be longer lasting than the sample one I received, and the bonus (to the bonus) sharpener was a great add in. You can never have too many of those.

Overall it was a good month. Any month where there is no bad is fine by me, and with the add ons, this bag was worth at keast triple what I paid for it.

If you're interested in joining ipsy, use my link here!

Happy Shopping!