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Today I’m feeling a bit down, and so I thought I’d share a beauty tidbit that definitely did not help my downness. And that is the February 2016 Ipsy bag and why I’ve decided on canceling my Ipsy subscription once and for all.
Get out your tiny violins.
I first subscribed to Ipsy nearly two years ago, and it’s been a heck of a ride with plenty of ups and downs. But alas, the time has come to discuss my reasons for canceling my Ipsy subscription.
I was once totally in love with the whole idea. It felt like Christmas every time I laid eyes on that shiny pink envelope in my mailbox.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve had a change of heart. Maybe I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things, or perhaps I’ve just grown grouchier, but either way, I’ve been quite disappointed with Ipsy lately.
And now, the usual disclaimer- I am not trying to put Ipsy down, or offend anybody who is happy with their Ipsy bags. This sums up my personal reasons for canceling my Ipsy subscription. Take this with a grain of salt and use it to make your own informed decisions. There’s power in choice, and the choice is yours.
February 2016 Ipsy Glam Bag Products
First off, let’s talk about what I received in my Ipsy Glam bag this month. Though the products vary from month to month, this assortment is a pretty average representation of what you’ll be getting each month.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil
I really appreciate when I see brands I recognize (more on that below), but a primer oil isn’t exactly what I had in mind.
I have quite oily skin, and so I find unnecessary oil petrifying. When I sprout a dry patch, I am not opposed to curbing the flakiness with a dab of face oil. However, the idea of using an oil as an allover primer does not sound like my cup o’ tea.
It isn’t the product’s problem, because I’m sure it’s a godsend for those with dry skin. The question is why am I receiving products that are quite obviously for drier skin, when I have noted numerous times that I have oily skin. After all that, I still get an oil.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil >> Purchase at Sephora
Where it fits: The recognizable brand.
Ipsy markets itself as a place to sample product from both high-end and inexpensive brands. While this is true, what they don’t tell you is just how few of the brands you’re likely to recognize.
If you’re expecting to receive a bag with an assortment of Sephora brands, plus Maybelline, Covergirl, and Revlon, it won’t happen. Most of the time, you’ll get one product from a well-known brand, be it high-end or drugstore, and the rest of the product will be from brands you’ve likely never heard of.
Luxie 221 Flat Definer Brush
Next up is the Luxie 221 Flat Definer Brush. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a flat definer brush. Good for applying shadows and eyeliners on the top and bottom lash line. And if you’re really good, for drawing your winged liner or filling in your eyebrows.
This isn’t my favorite type of brush, mainly because I have specific brushes that I use for winged liner, brows, and smudging the lower lash line. The only purpose left for this brush is applying dark shadow as a soft, pseudo-liner on my upper lash line. It’s okay, but nothing I get overly excited about.
Luxie Beauty Flat Definer Brush 221 >> Purchase at Luxiebeauty.com
Where it fits: The uninvited tool.
I initially gravitated toward Ipsy for the makeup samples. As did many others, I’m sure. I stipulated in that I wanted only the makeup samples by unchecking the boxes for tools, creams, hair products, etc in the quiz.
Yet every month, I something like this pops up in the bag. Brushes seem popular, but I’ve also gotten tweezers, eyelash curlers, and nail polish strips. If you’re expecting a bagful of makeup tidbits to try, you’ll be disappointed.
You may begin noticing a trend here. All of this piles up in the end and makes canceling my Ipsy subscription an easy decision.
Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment in Sierra Nevada
The pigment somehow missed the photoshoot train. It’s not in the cover photo, but it is a part of the collection. Here it is, in all its non-sifter glory.
When I think of pigments, I imagine an ultra pigmented, (gee, who would have thought,) product that stands out more than any conventional shadow ever could. When I swatch this one, I’m disappointed seeing how sheer it actually is. It’s too much sparkle and not enough of the rich, brown color.
Additionally, the loose texture is quite dusty and difficult to work with without getting fallout down you face, on your shirt, and smudged all over your tabletop. I just don’t like it. People had a fit about MakeupGeek not adding sifters to its new pigments, and that apparently wasn’t acceptable, therefore this shouldn’t be acceptable either.
Naked Cosmetics Mica Pigment in Sierra Nevada >> Purchase on Amazon
Where it fits: The workable one that you never would have purchased yourself.
If you’re lucky, Ipsy includes something you really like. If not, you’ll get something like this products.
It’s not totally outrageous, (don’t worry, we’re getting to those in a bit,) but there’s no way I would purchase it on my own.
We all know those products- the ones where you rationalize keeping it by telling yourself that you’ll totally use it one day. Of course, “one day” never comes.
I end up with enough of these from random places, and so canceling my Ipsy subscription is necessary for slowing down the flow.
Jersey Shore Spa Anti Aging Lip & Hand Polish
Next is the Jersey Shore Spa Anti Aging Lip & Hand Polish. What? Lip and hand polish? That’s a strange combination.
I have to admit, this product smells amazing, so long as you possess a bionic sweet tooth like I do. It smells just like a gooey brown sugar and butter melt; a magic potion you’s use to transform apples into dessert.
As good as it smells, I’m just slightly turned off by the fact that it is intended for hands and lips at the same time. I feel like the hands’ needs and your lips’ needs are two completely different animals. But maybe that’s just me. I have yet to try it.
Jersey Shore Spa Anti Aging Lip & Hand Polish >> Purchase on Amazon
Where it fits: The confusing one.
I totally understand the “trying new products” premise, but dang. What is this?
I find that within each group of Ipsy products is the confused friend of the group. He doesn’t know who he is, what he wants to do in life, or where he’s going. Instead, he tries becoming a jack-of-all-trades. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.
Every month without fail, I receive a product so out there that I have to wonder who is coming up with these things. Please tell me if I’m being closed-minded.
Vintage by Jessica Liebskind Sparkling Lip Gloss in Pink Sequin
Which brings us to the last, and arguably the worst, product: Vintage by Jessica Liebskind Sparkling Lip Gloss in Pink Sequin. Honestly, this lipgloss reminds me of my questionable choices as wee toddler playing with Barbie makeup. The color payoff is very light, and so the sparkles and glitter comprise most of the pigmentation.
Other people may like this, but it’s just too much for me. The stickiness makes it impossible to spread and blend, so even if you wanted to just apply it to the center of your lips as a highlight, you can’t really do that because it doesn’t mesh into your other lip colors well.
This lip gloss, like many other products before it, falls squarely into the “What were they thinking” category. It’s so bad that I’ll never use it, so I might as well just part with it now. So I basically just tossed $2.
Vintage by Jessica Liebskind Sparkling Lip Gloss in Pink Sequin >> Purchase on Amazon
Where it fits: The utter freak of the party.
Also every month without fail (almost,) there comes a product so horrific, and so weird, I get fend the urges for canceling my Ipsy subscription with great fanfare. And by that, I mean by blasting my displeasure all over social media.
It’s understandable to include a fail product every once in a while, but after seeing them month after month, I’ve had enough, and canceling my Ipsy subscription seems like the only answer.
And that completes my bad bag.
So why exactly am I canceling my Ipsy subscription?
Two main reasons, actually.
I don’t feel like the beauty quiz affects the products we receive as much as we’re led to believe.
I have changed my answers on the quiz multiple times in an effort to get more of the products that fit my style. When one combination doesn’t work, I’ll change it again, because perhaps their product categorizations are different than what I had in my head.
No matter what I did, I always ended up with a smattering of random products. Whenever I did receive something I liked, I attributed it to good luck than the quiz.
Based on the fact that I receive basically the same blend of misfits every month, I think there’s a formula to what goes into these bags. It’s like you receive the product from each category the quiz deems best suits you, regardless of whether you even want that category to begin with. I hope that makes sense.
You don’t have as much control as the quiz makes it seem.
For me, the payoff is no longer worth the $10 per month gamble.
For a while I was receiving products that I liked, (or at least could live with,) and I was excited for my little present in the mail every month.
I suppose it has more to do with my attitude change than anything else. I probably receive the same weird disarray of products as always, it’s just I’m now more bothered by it. The novelty wears off, I suppose.
It was fun while it lasted, but it’s time to move on. If I learned one lesson from all this, it’s to not hang on to a subscription because it *might* get better. It’s probably not getting any worse, so any dissatisfaction you feel is likely rooted in yourself not the products. I finally figured that out.
And this why I am canceling my Ipsy subscription.
It’s not you, it’s me.
That all for today!
Like this post? You’ll definitely like this one too >> Walmart Beauty Box — Is It Worth the Money?
If you find this post interesting, informative, or just plain entertaining, tell me about it in the comments below! And don’t forget, sharing is caring. Share this post!
Till next time ♥︎
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FTC- This post is not sponsored by any brands mentioned. I purchase Ipsy myself. All opinions are my own. Some links may be affiliated.
joselyn says
totally feel you, and yes I do think it’s more luck than anything so far I had a lot of good luck with ipsy, but sometimes it feels like i wanted something else no more eyeshadows thanks and I do seem to have so many blushes and bronzer because of this too but if that they should be a little more honest maybe give control to the user like this is the selection for this month tell us the 5 you like and you can add this later? I think that would help a lot since every month you would be getting the things you want and need
lilly says
Heres a cool unboxing on Ipsy’s April’s Glam Plus Box https://youtu.be/mq1Rkr7s97A
Dawn says
I see your website is similar to my blog. Do you allow guest posts?
I can write high quality & unique content for you. Let me know
if you are interested.
Kay says
I haven’t really thought about it, tbh. Feel free to contact me with your ideas and we’ll talk. 🙂 xo