Ipsy May 2015 Review

Ipsy, is a monthly subscription service which sends you 5 make-up, skin care or hair care items per month packaged in a make-up bag.  The products are often deluxe sample sizes but there are usually a few full-size items as well.  The cost is $10 per month with free shipping if you happen to live in the States but for those of us in Canada, add $4.95 shipping as well as exchange.  There are savings to be had if you subscribe to a longer period, though.  I paid for a year up front which worked out to $184.33 Canadian funds, or $15.36 per month - of course that was also at a time when our dollar was stronger.

If this review piques your interest in Ipsy, please consider using my referral link :)  I'd appreciate it!  There is usually a waiting list but they often offer ways to skip the line.

Here is what came in my Ipsy bag this month:

So, again I will comment on the bag, which is unusual for me.  I like that's it's canvas.  I like that it's larger.  I hate the message.  While some people might find this cute, "Contents:  My Life" just doesn't appeal to me.  Sorry Ipsy but my life is fuller than the contents of my makeup bag. . . in fact, makeup doesn't add that much value to my life in general! Kinda cheesy too.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil plus bonus Revolution High-Color Lip Gloss ($15 value?)

Seriously no idea on how to value this one.  I can't figure out how large the full size lip pencil is and while I'm sure the lip glosses add some value, have no idea how to calculate it.  I've seen this valued anywhere from $4 - 20 on other reviews.  $15 seems fair? The lip pencil is in "Ozone" which is colourless - it could be used as a lip liner to keep things in place or as a primer.  It seems to do that well but I'd rather have a colour.  There are also two tiny lip gloss samples - one in a pink shade that's nice and one that is quite purple which is fun but not very versatile for most people.  That said, I do like Urban Decay and will use the lip pencil when I think of it.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo (FULL SIZE - $24 value)

This, however, I'm really excited by.  I've never received a product that didn't fit in the little makeup bag to date and this one sure didn't.  I've never used a dry shampoo before but I figure with a toddler and a little one on the way, there may be a time in the next few months when my hair could use a little boost :)

Luxie Rose Gold Tapered Blending Eye Brush 205 ($12 value):

I love getting tools like this in my Ipsy bag.  I probably wouldn't buy them myself (especially not a $12 brush) but I'm slowly replacing some of my crappy cheaper tools and brushes.  This is a solid brush and does its job well.

BellaPierre Cosmetics Waterproof Mineral Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Ebony (FULL SIZE - $14.99 Value):

Another black eyeliner.  I have a few on the go so I haven't even opened this yet.  Full size is nice but yawn.

Peter Lamas Detoxifying Citrus C Facial Cleanser (1 oz - $6 value, 4oz sells for $24):

I like this cleanser well enough.  It's vegan and free from parabens and sulfates which is nice.  I am always a little skeptical of "detoxifying" claims in various products as it seems to be a hot term without a lot of clarity as to what it means, exactly.  This isn't a huge size but should last for a while and I do love these sizes for travelling :)

Overall Verdict:

Probably one of my better bags recently, content-wise (but, like I said, not a fan of the bag).  The value is impressive too - around $72 give or take the real value of the Urban Decay item, making it one of my more valuable bags :) As for the products themselves:  love the brush and dry shampoo (especially the size!), like and will use everything else - even the black liner.  Don't get me wrong, I like black liners; I'm just a little stocked for now so it's not that exciting.  Most importantly, no huge misses (yup, no self-tanners, no beige eye colours, no bronzers!!).

So, what did you get this month? Am I the only one who found "Contents: My Life" more stupid than cute? Hit the comments!