Sammi the Beauty Buff: Ipsy Glam Bag: August 2013 Review

Hi, friends! Today I have quite a lot to tell you about this month's Ipsy bag. It's caused me a lot of grief, but in the end, it's here, and I'm very pleased with the products I received. But I'll get into all of that in just a second.

Ipsy? What's That? - For those who don't know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service that provides you with 4-5 products (mostly makeup, but sometimes hair/skincare as well) for $10/month that are either deluxe sample-sized or full-sized. I really loved this month's bag, and if you decide to sign up, I would greatly appreciate it if you did so via my referral link. If you wanted to be a meanie about it, you could also Google Ipsy's website and sign up that way, but then you wouldn't be very nice.

As always, it came in the notable hot pink mailer, which I always make sure to save. They come in handy when I want to trade products with my fellow beauty-obsessed friends, or when I forgot something home that I need for school and have to beg my mother to ship it to me (sorry, Mom!).

This month's theme was "Glamour Academy." They even have the "u" in "glamour," that's how glamorous it is. It's probably not that funny, but I (as the New Yorker) find it quite amusing.

Also, fun fact: my friend's bag actually came printed backwards. The images/lettering were completely reversed, almost as if you were viewing it in a mirror. Just one of the issues that occurred this month.

The goodies in this bag are glorious, which I will talk about in a minute. First, I would like to mention that it took 13 days for my bag to get to me from North Carolina, which is much slower than usual. I got the tracking info on August 6th, which is around the usual time I receive it in my email. However, it took double the processing time for the tracking code link to work (it normally takes up to 48 hours, and instead it took more than 4 full days). So many people had trouble with their shipping this month, on the Ipsy Facebook group and the website. Apparently Ipsy was blaming DHL and DHL was blaming Ipsy and it was just a whole mess. Luckily, mine came in the mail on August 19th, the day before I was leaving for school. Still, I'm happy my bag arrived in one piece, and the products I received are incredibly awesome.

One thing I wish Ipsy did like other subscriptions was include a description card, like Sample Society. Instead, Ipsy's card just showcases the brands they included this month, which is cool, but not as useful.

Mica Beauty Eye Shadow Shimmer Powder in Bronze
(Full size! [2.5g]: $14.95)

There were a whole slew of products you could have received in place of this product, including products from Chella and NYX (both previously participating brands). Some people have been saying this was Ipsy's "clear out the warehouse" item of the month, which is plausible. Anyway, I don't want to open this yet, because it is a loose eyeshadow and I don't want it to get anywhere if I won't be using it just yet. It's a beautiful bronze-gold color that I'm sure I will get a lot of use out of this fall!

Pacifica Natural Skincare Alight Multi Mineral BB Cream

(Sample size [.34oz]: about $5.50)

(Full size [1oz]: $16)

Ipsy is actually what introduced me to Pacifica back in October, when we received their Blood Orange Body Butter. I've been hooked on them ever since, so thank you Ipsy! It is for reasons like these that I stay subscribed, to find new products that I wouldn't have tried otherwise. I've never tried any of their cosmetics before, but I'm excited to! This was an either-or item, the other option being a sample of Smashbox's PhotoFinish Primer. I already have a full size of Smashbox's Hydrating Primer, so I'm exciting I received this new product to try instead (though I wouldn't have been opposed to receiving another one of their primers, because they're wonderful). I have so many BB creams so go through before I open this (and no one likes to let their makeup expire), but I will update you on what I think when I do!

Michael Todd True Organics Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub
(Sample size [1 oz]: about $5.50)
(Full size [3.4 oz]: $18)

I have been absolutely dying to try Michael Todd. I've heard nothing but amazing things about this brand, but they're a little out of my price range. Once again, has served its purpose, allowing me to sample products that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. Not only that, but Ipsy has also listened to my quiz this month! I have sensitive skin, and the other Michael Todd product we could have received was their Pumpkin Mask, which is known to have ingredients that could irritate those of us with sensitive skin. I'm super excited to test this out and see if it deserves all the hype!

Pixi Lash Booster Mascara (Sample size [.105oz]: $8)
(Full size: $17)

This is the only product in this month's bag that I'm "meh" about. Pixi is sold at Target, which is fine with me, since Target is a magical land with wonderful things. However, from what I've seen, this mascara has gotten some pretty bad reviews, and it's supposedly impossible to get off your lashes at the end of the day. I have plenty of mascara, so I'll probably leave this up for trading instead.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Anarchy (Sample Size: about $8)
(Full size [2.8g]: $22)

I love Urban Decay! I'm so happy they included another item in this bag. What I don't like is that, when sending out emails enticing people to resubscribe, they made it seem like you were guarantee one of these little guys. In actuality, this was an either-or item, and the other option was a Noya lip balm (full-size, $4). I don't know about you, but I find that to be unfair. The price difference isn't as bad as June's ($20 eyeliner vs. $4 lashes? hello!) but it's still not desirable. Still, I'm happy I ended up with the option I wanted. This lipstick is tiny, but it'll last me awhile, especially since I can't see wearing a lipstick this bright on a daily basis.

The Stats:

Mica Beauty Shimmer Powder (full size): $14.95
Pacifica BB Cream (sample): $5.50
Michael Todd Charcoal Scrub (sample): $5.50
Pixi Mascara (sample): $8
Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick (sample): $8
Total bag value: $41.95! (wow!)

Well, that's the bag! I would be so tempted to cancel if this month's bag wasn't amazing. As of right now, you're on probation, Ipsy!

What did you think of this month's Ipsy bag?