Skin & Tonics : Skincare Guides & Product Reviews

I guess Ipsy’s ears were burning last week when I gushed about Glam Bag for Battle of the Boxes, because December’s Glam Bag arrived here way ahead of schedule! I live in the same state as their distribution center, which means mine gets here crazy fast. The good news is, I take lots of pictures. If you’re looking for Glam Bag spoilers, I’m your gal.

So here it is, the December Glam Bag review.

Get on my face!

The actual bag this month is my favorite bag from them so far.  It’s long and boxy and the luminous, gunmetal colored material is heavier than bags past. I also noticed that it has a lovely lining this month with the Ipsy logo printed on it. I have to admit, when I saw it my first thought was about how proud I am of Ipsy. I really see the custom lining as a sign of their growth and success.

Ooo! Aaah! Look at that lining! And that cute cat.

This month’s Glam Bag was chock full of full-size products, which has become the standard for Ipsy but it’s still awesome every time.  It contained:

A Full Size Be a Bombshell Lip Gloss in “Hot Mess”

I think “Hot Mess” is a great name for a color, especially this color.  The color itself is definitely hot. It looks scary in the tube because it’s so bright, but it goes on sheer. The color is buildable though, so if you are going for a more neon look, you can get it from this lip gloss.

Be a Bombshell lip gloss in “Hot Mess,” before it started accumulating hair.

However, it’s a very sticky mess, apropos to the second half of this color’s name. Some things that stuck to my lip within 20 minutes of applying this lip gloss include:

•       A cat hair
•       Bathrobe fuzz
•       Glitter from my nail polish
•       A dog hair

The stickiness, though not ideal, won’t stop me from wearing this color because it looks great. But it might stop me from buying it.

Skin & Tonics Rating: B
Value: $14

A Full Size Mirabella Prime – A Primer for Face & Eyes

Mirabella Prime primer for face and eyes is paraban free and dye free.

I’ve never been into foundation primer.  It always seemed like an extra step and unnecessary layer of product since my Dior Forever Flawless Foundation looks fantastic without it. However, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the feel of this product and how easily my foundation spread over top of this slippery, paraben-free concoction.

Mirabella Prime didn’t convert me to a primer user, but I will definitely use the rest of the tube, and I would recommend it to someone looking for a good, basic primer.

Skin & Tonics Rating B+
Value: $29

A Full Size NYX Loose Pearl Eye Shadow in “Black Pearl”

The fallout from the NYX eyeshadow is a bummer.

Eh. I have mixed feelings about this stuff. I already had some NYX Loose Pearl shadows in my collection that I bought really cheap on eBay. I like how affordable this stuff is and the color payoff is decent, but since it’s a loose eyeshadow there is a ton of fallout. On top of that, the fallout is a bitch to remove. It usually entails about 2 minutes of me smearing it around my face, looking like a homeless person trying to clean up for a job interview. They do have a nice color selection. I probably won’t buy any more though.

Skin & Tonics Rating: C+
Value: $6

A Full Size Pack of Mai Couture Highlighting Paper

This Mai Couture Highlighting Paper is fantastic!

This stuff is spectacular. It’s a pack of papers similar in size and texture to blotting papers, but each paper is covered in a thin layer of luminous, highlighting powder. I just swiped it across each cheek and it was the perfect amount of color. I’m really looking forward to carrying these around so I don’t have to futz around with a brush and a powder in the car or in a public bathroom. The price is pretty steep for this product, but it would be a really great splurge.

Skin & Tonics Rating: A
Value: $28

A Full Size Urban Decay 27/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in “Zero”

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil is seriously the news, guys.

Anyone who knows me in real knows that I won’t leave the house without eyeliner.  I’ve had a compulsive disorder since I was 7 years old called trichotillomania, which causes me to pull out my eyebrows and eyelashes. When I was 11 years old I got really self-conscious about my appearance, convinced that I looked like the alien from cocoon. My Aunt Mary, who is a stone cold fox and a makeup whiz, flew in from Chicago to visit my mom and showed me how to draw in eyebrows and put on eyeliner. Now it’s more than 20 years later, and I’m a straight-up eyeliner scientist. I can apply liquid eyeliner without a mirror. I’m that good.

Look at that solid black line. And no smudging? Yessss.

I also know a great eyeliner when I see one, and this Urban Decay eyeliner is phenomenal.  I normally go for a gel liner or a pen liner. It’s been years since I’ve found a pencil eyeliner I truly loved. But this Urban Decay glides on so smoothly, and it’s very, very pigmented. I found that smudging was minimal even after several hours. The color I got was “Zero”, which is very black. They apparently make an even blacker black called “Perversion.” I’ll be buying that one tout suite.

Skin & Tonics Rating: A+
Value: $18

This is me wearing all of this month’s Glam Bag products (plus some falsies). I thought I looked pretty good here, but my sister said I looked like I would be best friends with the girls in women’s prison.

Overall, I’d say this Glam Bag was a hit. I feel like Ipsy really pulled out all the stops this month – almost $100 worth of products, including an amazing Urban Decay eye pencil? Oh, and that fancy bag with the logo lining inside? Ipsy, I’m so proud of you.

You can sign up for a Glam Bag subscription on Ipsy’s website. It’s $10/month.  >>

Total Value: $92
Overall Rating: A

Hey, did you know I’ve been posting preview pics of this month’s Glam Bag on Instagram since Saturday?  If you’re not following me on Instagram, you’re missing out on tons of great pics of beauty products, manicures, my face, and cute animals. Plus, I’ve got a giveaway coming up that Instagram followers will have more chances to win.

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